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(L'ralntuviX  *t*  c£ad* 

LAURISTON        CASTLE. 


I 


Presented  to  the 
LIBRARY  of  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO 

by 

A.   Huestis 


THE  CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND 


Edinburgh :  Printed  fry  George  Waterston  &°  Sons 

FOR 

DAVID    DOUGLAS 

LONDON HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  AND  CO. 

CAMBRIDGE MACMILLAN  AND  BOWES 

GLASGOW JAMES  MACLEHOSE  AND  SONS 


THI<: 


CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 

ARCHITECTURE 

OF   SCOTLAND 

FROM  THE  TWELFTH  TO  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY 


BY 

DAVID   MACGIBBON  AND  THOMAS   ROSS 

ARCHITECTS 

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— .  *  •     *•  ir 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 

MDCCCLXXXIX 


All  riyhts  reserved 


Nfl 
97?- 


PREFACE. 

THE  reception  which  the  first  two  volumes  of  the  Castellated 
and  Domestic  Architecture  of  Scotland  met  with  from  the 
public,  and  the  .kind  aid  which  the  authors  have  received 
from  all  parts  of  the  country  in  reply  to  the  appeal  contained 
in  the  Postscript  to  the  second  volume,  have  encouraged 
them  to  proceed  with  the  work  they  had  set  before  them- 
selves of  making  a  record  of  the  architectural  features  and 
history  of  all  the  castellated  and  domestic  structures  of  any 
importance  erected  in  the  country  up  to  the  time  when  the 
Scottish  style  of  architecture  ceased  to  exist.  They  believe 
that — thanks  to  the  above  assistance — they  are  now  in  a 
position  to  do  so,  and  they  entertain  the  hope  that,  as  the 
two  additional  volumes  now  to  be  published  will  complete 
the  subject,  they  will  be  not  less  welcome  to  all  interested 
in  Scottish  architecture  than  the  preceding  ones. 

The  subject  is  treated  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  of  the 
two  first  volumes.  The  third  volume  contains  an  account  of 
the  structures  previously  undescribed  in  the  First,  Second,  and 
Third  Periods,  and  the  portion  of  the  Fourth  Period  which 
comprises  the  Simple  Keeps  and  the  Castles  of  the  L  Plan. 

The  fourth  and  last  volume  will  contain  the  remaining 
edifices  of  the  Fourth  Period,  comprising  those  of  the  Z  Plan, 
the  E  Plan,  the  T  Plan,  the  Courtyard  Plan,  and  modified 
and  exceptional  Plans.  It  will  also  give  illustrations  of  a 
large  number  of  houses  and  mansions  from  the  different 


PREFACE 


VI   —  CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


towns,  numerous  altered  and  fragmentary  remains  of 
domestic  structures,  and  a  series  of  Tolbooths  or  Town 
Halls,  Churches,  and  Monuments,  illustrative  of  the  Scottish 
style  of  the  Fourth  Period. 

Valuable  assistance  in  many  ways,  including  Plans, 
Sketches,  Photographs,  &c.,  has  been  received  from  a  great 
many  quarters,  and  is  gratefully  acknowledged  in  the  body  of 
the  work  in  connection  with  the  detailed  description  of  the 
various  Castles ;  but  special  thanks  are  due  to  the  following 
gentlemen  for  the  interest  they  have  taken  in  the  subject 
and  the  important  aid  they  have  rendered,  viz. : — 


Colonel  ALI/ARDYCE,  Aberdeen. 

A.   WHITEFORD   ANDERSON,    Esq., 
Warwick  Gardens,  London. 

WILLIAM  ANDERSON,  Esq.,  Architect, 
Edinburgh. 

DAVID  ANDREWS,  Esq.,  Girvan. 

R.  BRUCE  ARMSTRONG,  Esq. 

A.  B.  ARMITAGE,  Esq.,  C.A.,  Edin- 
burgh. 

JOHN  BAIRD,  Esq.,  Architect,  Glas- 
gow. 

JOHN  BRYCE,  Esq.,  Architect,  Edin- 
burgh. 

THOMAS  M.  BROWN,  Esq.,  Closeburn, 
Dumfriesshire. 

JOHN  WILLIAM  BURNS,  Esq.  of  Kil- 
mahew,  Dumbartonshire. 

ALEXANDER  CARMICHAEL,  Esq.,  Bae- 
burn  Place,  Edinburgh. 

T.  CRAIG  CHRISTIE,  Esq.  of  Bedlay, 
Lanarkshire. 

Dr.  D.  CHRISTISON,  Edinburgh. 

J.     T.     CLARK,    Esq.,    Advocates' 
Library,   Edinburgh. 

WILLIAM    CRAMOND,    Esq.,    School- 
master, Cullen. 

THOMAS     DICKSON,     Esq.,     LL.D., 
Register  House,  Edinburgh. 

ROBERT  DUNDAS,  Esq.  of  Arniston. 


H.    T.    DONALDSON,    Esq.,   Banker, 

Nairn. 
JOHN  FLEMING,  Esq.,  Scotland  Street, 

Woodlands,  Glasgow. 
WILLIAM  FOWLER,  Esq.,  Architect, 

Edinburgh. 

WILLIAM  GALLOWAY,  Esq.,  Architect. 
H.  WOLRIDGE  GORDON,  Esq.  of  Essle- 

mont,  Aberdeenshire. 
Lord  HAMILTON  of  Dalzell. 
JAMES  HARDY,   Esq.,  Berwickshire 

Naturalists'  Field  Club. 
J.     F.    HISLOP,     Esq.,    Castlepark, 

Prestonpans. 
J.  AULDJO  JAMIESON,   Esq.,  W.S., 

Edinburgh. 

W.  C.  Jo  ASS,  Esq. ,  Architect,  Dingwall. 
Major  ARCHIBALD  LESLIE  of  Kinin- 

vie,  Banffshire. 
Colonel  ELLIOT  LOCKHART,  Branx- 

holm,  Roxburghshire. 
WALTER  F.  LYON,  Esq.,  Architect, 

London. 
Sir   HERBERT  E.    MAXWELL,  Bart., 

M.P.,  of  Monreith,  Wigtonshire. 
Sir     ROBKRT     MENZIES,    Bart,    of 

Castle  Menzies,  Perthshire. 
Kev.  ALEXANDER  MILLER,  Buckie, 

Banffshire. 


ARCHITECTURE  OK  SCOTLAND  Vll   —  PREFACE 

G.  GORDON  MILNE,  Esq.,  Architect,  T.  S.  ROBKRTSON,  Esq.,  Architect, 

London.  Dundee. 

ROBERT  MURRAY,  Esq.,  Architect,  W.  W.  ROBERTSON,  Esq.,  Architect, 

Edinburgh.  Edinburgh. 

Colonel  M 'LEO D  of  Saddell,  Argyll-  THE  COUNCIL  of  the  ROYAL  SCOTTISH 

shire.  ACADEMY. 

HENRY   HAY   NORIE,    Esq.,    W.S.,  CHARLES  G.  SHAW,  Esq.,  Ayr. 

of  Coltbridge  Hall,  Edinburgh.  J.  W.  SMALL,  Esq.,  Stirling. 

T.  T.  OLIPHANT,  Esq.,  St  Andrews.  J.  GUTHRIE  SMITH,  Esq.  of  Mugdock 

J.  BALFOUR  PAUL,  Esq.,  Advocate,  Castle,  Stirlingshire. 

Edinburgh.  DAVID    THOMSON,    Esq.,   Architect, 

WILLIAM  RAILTON,  Esq.,  Architect,  Glasgow. 

Kilmarnock.  Colonel  HUNTER  WESTON  of  Hun- 

J.  D.  ROBERTON,  Esq.,  Park  Terrace  terston,  Ayrshire. 

East,  Glasgow.  JOHN  J.  WILSON,  Esq.,  Penicuik. 

The  authors  desire  particularly  to  acknowledge  their 
obligations  to  Messrs  John  Baird,  Architect,  Glasgow- 
John  Bryce,  Architect,  Edinburgh — John  William  Burns 
of  Kilmahew — J.  T.  Clark,  Keeper  of  the  Advocates' 
Library — Walter  F.  Lyon,  Architect,  London — G.  Gordon 
Milne,  Architect,  London — the  Rev.  Alexander  Miller, 
Buckie — Robert  Murray,  Architect,  Edinburgh — William 
Railton,  Architect,  Kilmarnock — J.  D.  Roberton,  Park 
Terrace  East,  Glasgow — and  J.  Guthrie  Smith  of  Mugdock 
Castle,  Stirlingshire. 

Information  regarding  some  edifices  of  the  Simple  Keep 
Plan  and  the  L  Plan  has  been  obtained  too  late  to  permit  of 
their  being  described  in  their  proper  places,  but  these  and  any 
others  omitted  will  be  given  in  a  Supplementary  Chapter  in 
the  fourth  volume. 

Any  information  regarding  structures  not  yet  described, 
or  otherwise,  will  be  most  welcome,  and  will  be  thankfully 
acknowledged. 


o 


EDINBURGH,  November  1889. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

PAGE 

General  view  of  subject  —  Historical  associations  —  Brochs — 
Primitive  fortresses  —  Norman  keeps  —  Thirteenth -century 
castles  —Earliest  stone  and  mortar  castles  in  Scotland  intro- 
duced by  Normans — Norman  churches — Position  of  country 
in  thirteenth  century  —The  Highlands  and  Islands,  state  of 
— Castles  of,  similar  to  those  of  mainland  —  Prosperous 
condition  of  Scotland  before  1286  —  Large  castles  of  period — 
Exhaustion  caused  by  War  of  Independence — Small  keeps  of 
fourteenth  century — Contrast  of  castles  and  churches  of  France 
and  England  with  those  of  Scotland — Improvement  in  fifteenth 
century — Courtyard  castles  introduced —Perfected  in  royal 
palaces — Revival  of  trade — Haliburton's  ledger — Collegiate 
churches — Scottish  style  of — Castellated  features  introduced 
into  —  Development  of  chivalry — Decline  of  chivalry — Effects 
of  the  Reformation — Difference  between  French  and  Scottish 
chateaux — Town  houses — Enlarged  plans  of  keeps,  L  plan, 
Z  plan,  E  plan,  T  plan — Modifications  to  meet  requirements 
— English  influence — Churches  and  monuments  in  Scottish 
style — The  waggon  vault  and  other  domestic  details  employed,  1-40 


FIRST  PERIOD— 1200-1300. 

Castles  with  a  great  wall  of  enceinte — Many  preserved  in  Highlands 

and  Islands — Comparatively  few  on  mainland,        .         .         .         41 

Descriptions  of  the  following  examples  : — 

Mingarry  Castle,    .         .         .     Argyllshire,  ....  42 

Duart  Castle,          .        • .         .  Do.,        ...         .  46 

Kismull  Castle,      .  .     Inverness-shire,     .  51 

Ellan-Tirrim  Castle,        .         .  Do.,        .         .  ....  56 


CONTENTS  —    X    CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 

PAGE 

Castle  Swin,  ....  Argyllshire,  .          .          .          .          58 

Skipness  Castle,     .          .          .  Do.,         .          .          .          .          63 

Achanduin  Castle,          .          .  Do.,         ....          75 

Dunvegan  Castle,            .          .  Inverness-shire,      .          .          .          77 

Ellandonan  Castle,          .          .  Ross-shire,     ....          82 

Duntroon  Castle,   .          .          .  Argyllshire,  ....          85 

Dunskaich  Castle,           .          .  Inverness-shire,      ...          87 

Ardchonnel  Castle,         .          .  Argyllshire,  ....          87 

Urquhart  Castle,   .          .          .  Inverness-shire,      ...          90 

Loch  Doon  Castle,           .          .  Ayrshire,       ....          96 

Achincass  (or  Auchen)  Castle,  Dumfriesshire,        .          .          .105 

Home  Castle,         .         .         .  Berwickshire,         .         .         .106 

Moulin  Castle,        .          .          .  Perthshire,     ....        109 

Bruce's  Castle,       .          .          .  Ayrshire,        .          .          .          .110 

Kincardine  Castle,          .          .  Kincardineshire,    .          .          .        Ill 

King  Edward  Castle,     .          .  Aberdeenshire,       .          .          .        112 


SECOND  PERIOD— 1300-1400. 

Consists  of  small  keeps — A  few  of  L  plan  introduced  later — Order 

of  description,         .          .          .  .          .          .  .  .  .114 

Descriptions  of  the  following  examples  : — 

SIMPLE  KEEPS  : — 

Borve  Castle,          .          .          .  Inverness-shire,  .  .  .        115 

Breacacha  Castle,  Coll,  .          .  Argyllshire,  .  .  .  .        117 

Castle  Coeffin,        .         .         .  Do.,        .  .  .  .120 

Ardtornish  Castle,          .         .  Do.,        .  .  .  .122 

Aros  Castle,  ....  Do.,        .  .  .  .125 

Kildonan  Castle,  Arran,.         .  Buteshire,      .  .  .  .        125 

Moy  Castle,  Lochbuy,    .         .  Argyllshire,  .  .  .  .127 

Closeburn  Castle,  .          .          .  Dumfriesshire,  .  .  .        128 

Cassillis  Castle,       .          .          .  Ayrshire,       .  .  .  .        131 

Balthayock  Castle,          .          .  Perthshire,     .  .  .  .132 

Drumin  Castle,      .          .          .  Banffshire,     .  .  .  .134 

Old  Man  of  Wick,           .          .  Caithness-shire,  .  .  .134 

Braal  Castle,          .         .         .  Do.,        .  .  ;  .       137 

L  PLANS  : — 

Cessford  Castle,      .         .         .  Roxburghshire,  .  .  .       138 

Dalhousie  Castle,  .         .         .  Midlothian,  .  .144 

Ravenscraig  Castle,        .         .  Aberdeenshire,  .  .  .149 

Portincross  Castle,          .         .  Ayrshire,       .  .  .  .        151 


ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND  —    XI    — 


FRAGMENTARY  REMAINS  : — 
Duchal  Castle, 
Ballumbie  Castle,  . 
Tinnies  Castle, 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 


Renfrewshire, 
Forfarshire,  . 
Peeblesshire, 


156 
158 
159 


THIRD  PERIOD— 1400-1542. 

Coincides  with  reigns  of  Jameses — Courtyard  plans  introduced — 
Keeps  still  continued — Description  commences  with  West 
Highlands  and  other  districts  taken  up  in  succession,  .  .  161 


Descriptions  of  the  following 
SIMPLE  KEEPS  : — 

Castle  Stalcaire, 

Kinlochaline  Castle, 

Castle  Mearnaig,    . 

Castle  Maoil,  Skye, 

Craignish  Castle,    . 

Little  Cumbrae  Castle,  . 

Fairlie  Castle,         .         . 

Law  Castle,  . 

Skelmorlie  Castle, 

Barr  Castle,  . 

Carrick  Castle, 

Kaimes  Castle, 

Giffen  Castle, 

Hunterston  Castle, 

Saddell  Castle, 

Sorn  Castle,  . 

Barr  Castle,  . 

Mauchliue  Castle,  . 

Penkill  Castle, 

Ailsa  Craig  Castle, 

Carleton  Castle, 

Lochnaw  Castle,     . 

Rusco  Castle, 

Hollows  Tower, 

Bemersyde,    . 

Billicastle, 

Cockburnspath  Tower,   . 

Fast  Castle,  . 

Lennox  Castle,       .          , 

Blackness  Castle,   . 


examples  : — 


Argyllshire,  . 
Do., 
Do., 

Inverness-shire, 
Argyllshire,  . 
Buteshire, 
Ayrshire, 

Do., 

Do., 

Renfrewshire, 
Argyllshire,  . 
Buteshire, 
Ayrshire, 

Do., 

Argyllshire,  . 
Ayrshire, 

Do., 

Do., 

Do,          .         . 

Do, 

Do., 

Wigtonshire, 
Kirkcudbrightshire, 
Dumfriesshire, 
Berwickshire, 
Do, 
Do, 
Do, 

Midlothian,    . 
Linlithgowshire,    . 


162 
168 
170 
172 
173 
173 
173 
173 
173 
183 
186 
192 
194 
194 
197 
200 
201 
202 
204 
206 
209 
210 
213 
217 
220 
220 
220 
222 
224 
225 


CONTENTS 


Xll    —  CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


Craiglockhart  Castle, 
Kinneil  Castle, 
Mains  Castle, 
Cathcart  Castle, 
Bardowie  Castle,     . 
Covington  Tower, 
Lochore  Castle, 
Bruce's  Castle, 
Arnot's  Tower, 
Balrnuto  Tower, 
Pitcruivie  Castle,    . 
Gutlirie  Castle, 
Old  Slanes  Castle, 
Boddam  Castle, 
Ackergill  Tower,    . 
Dirlot  Castle, 
Castle  Varrich, 

L  PLANS  : — 

Lethington  Castle, 
Merchiston  Castle, 
Hatton  House, 
Bridge  Castle, 
Lordscairnie  Castle, 
Stanely  Castle, 
Inverquliarity  Castle, 
Brodick  Castle, 
Thomaston  Castle, 
Denmiln  Castle, 

COURTYARD  PLANS  : — 

Glengarnock  Castle, 
Craigie  Castle, 
Ardrossan  Castle, 
Ardstinchar  Castle, 
Dunglass  Castle,     . 
Mugdock  Castle,     . 
Dalzell  Castle, 
Boghall  Castle, 
Innerwick  Castle, 
St  Andrews  Castle, 
Balfour  Castle, 
Bucholie  Castle, 
Findlater  Castle,    . 


Midlothian,   . 

Linlithgowshire, 

Lanarkshire, 

Renfrewshire, 

Stirlingshire, 

Lanarkshire, 

Fifeshire, 

Stirlingshire, 

Kinross-shire, 

Fifeshire, 

Do., 

Forfarshire,   . 
Aberdeenshire, 

Do., 
Caithness-shire, 

Do.,        . 
Sutherlandshire, 


Haddingtoiishire, 
Midlothian,    . 

Do., 

Linlithgowshire, 
Fifeshire, 
Renfrewshire, 
Forfarshire,  . 
Buteshire, 
Ayrshire, 
Fifeshire, 


Ayrshire, 
Do., 
Do., 
Do., 

Dumbartonshire, 

Stirlingshire, 

Lanarkshire, 

Do., 

Haddin  gtonshire, 
Fifeshire, 
Forfarshire,  . 
Caithness-shire, 
Banffshire,     . 


I'AGE 

227 
228 
231 
233 
236 
239 
241 
245 
245 
247 
247 
248 
249 
250 
250 
253 
253 


256 
263 

268 
275 
278 
280 
282 
285 
289 
291 


293 
296 
301 
302 
305 
308 
312 
320 
325 
328 
337 
338 
340 


ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND  —   Xlll    —  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

SPECIAL  PLANS  : — 

Dunure  Castle,       .         .         .  Ayrshire,       .         .  .  .341 

Dalquharran  Castle,        .         .          Do.,            .         .  .  .344 

Mochrum,  The  Old  Place  of,  .  Wigtonshire,          .  .  .       349 

Littledean  Castle,            .         .  Roxburghshire,      .  .  .351 

Kunraw,         ....  Haddingtonshire,  .  .  .        353 

Newbattle  Abbey,  .          .  Midlothian,   ....        354 

Castle  Lachlan,       .         .         .  Argyllshire,  .         .  .  .357 


FOURTH  PERIOD— 1542-1700. 

Reign  of  Queen  Mary  unfavourable  for  building — Border  castles 
ruined — Reformation  favourable  —  Secularised  church  lands 
— Connection  with  England — Traditional  plans  followed,  but 
modified — Z,  T,  and  E  plans  introduced — These  plans  ex- 
plained— Changes  in  ground  floor,  staircases,  <tc. — Stone  cor- 
belling, whence  derived — Transition  from  military  to  domestic 
style — Different  from  corresponding  change  in  France — 
Advent  of  Renaissance,  effects  on  Scottish  style — Angle 
turrets  —  Changed  into  bow  windows — Intei'iors — Town 
houses — National  character  of  style — Order  of  description,  .  365 

Descriptions  of  the  following  examples  : — 

SIMPLE  KEEPS  : — 

West  and  South  -  West  District — 

Busbie  Castle,         .         .         .  Ayrshire,  .         .         .         .  372 

Clonbeith  Castle,    .         .         .  Do.,  .         .         .         .374 

Hessilhead  Castle,  .         .         .  Do.,  .         .         .         .375 

Newmilns  Tower,  .         .         .  Do.,  .         .         .         .  377 

Newark  Castle,       .         .         .  Do.,  ....  378 

Greenan  Castle,      .         .         .  Do.,  ....  382 

Crawfurdland  Castle,      .          .  Do.,  ....  384 

Crosraguel  Abbey — Gatehouse,  Do.,  ....  385 

Kilchenzie  Castle,            .         .  Do.,  ' .         .         .         .  387 

Knockdolian  Castle,        .         .  Do.,  ....  387 

Craig  Caffie  Tower,         .         .  Wigtonshire,           .         .         .  388 

South  District — 

Hills  Castle,           '.         .         .  Kirkcudbrightshire,  .  .       390 

Isle  Castle,     ....  Dumfriesshire,       .  .  .       393 

Fourmerkland  Tower,     .          .              Do.,      '  .          .  .  '  .       394 

Lag  Tower,    .     >'.         .         .             Do.,      '.  .396 

Edingham  Castle,  .        '.         .  Kirkcudbrightshire,  .  .       398 


CONTENTS 


XIV    CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


Bonshaw  Tower,    , 
Robgill  Tower, 
Wardhouse  Tower, 
Thirlstane  Castle,  . 
Gamelscleuch  Castle, 
Dryhope  Castle,     . 
Blackhouse  Castle, 
Kirkhope  Tower,  . 
Oakwood  Tower,    . 
Goldielands  Tower, 
Barnes  Tower, 
Castlehill, 
Posso  Castle, 
Wrae  Castle, 
Horsburgh  Castle, 
Nether  Horsburgh  Castle, 
Hutcheonfield  Tower,     . 
Hyrendeaii  Castle, 
Minto  Tower, 
Timpendean  Castle, 
Corbett  Castle, 
Co  wdenkno  wes, 
Corsbie  Castle, 
Cranshaws  Castle, . 
Gamelshiel  Castle, 

Central  District — 
Carberry  Tower,     . 
Cramond  Tower,    . 
Lamington  Tower, 
Stonebyres,    . 
Castle  Gary,  . 


Dumfriesshire, 

Do., 

Do.,  . 
Selkirkshire, 

Do.,        . 

Do., 

Do.,        . 

Do.,        . 

Do.,        . 
Roxburghshire, 
Peeblesshire, 

Do.,        . 

Do,        . 

Do,        . 

Do, 

Do,        . 

Do,  . 
Midlothian,  . 
Roxburghshire, 

Do, 

Do,  . 
Berwickshire, 

Do, 

Do.,  . 
Haddingtonshire, 

Midlothian,   . 

Do, 
Lanarkshire, 

Do,  . 
Stirlingshire, 


Crossbasket  and  Calderwood  Castles,  Lanarkshire, 

Kilmahew  Castle,  .          .  .  Dumbartonshire, 

Banachra  Castle,    .          .  .  Do, 

Darleith  Castle,      .         .  .  Do, 

Rossdhu  Castle,     .         .  .  Do, 

Kilundine  Castle,  .         .  .  Argyllshire,  . 

Castle  Shuna,         .         .  .  Do, 

East  and  North  Districts — 

Monimail  Castle,    .         .  .  Fifeshire, 

Seafield  Tower,       .         .  .  Do, 

Pitteadie  Castle,    .         .  .  Do, 


PAGE 

398 
398 
398 
402 
403 
403 
404 
405 
408 
413 
414 
416 
417 
418 
418 
418 
419 
419 
420 
421 
423 
425 
426 
428 
430 


430 
432 
436 
438 
439 
442 
443 
445 
447 
447 
447 
447 


448 
449 
450 


ARCHITECTURE  OP  SCOTLAND  —   XV   — 

Garden  Tower, 
Bandon  Tower, 
Meggernie  Castle, . 
Drumlochy  Castle, 
Garth  Castle, 
Easter  Clune  Castle, 
Colquhonny  Castle, 
Invermark  Castle, 
Fairburn  Tower,    . 
Castle  Craig, 

L  PLANS  : — 

West  District — 
Bedlay  House, 
Monkland  House,  . 
Auchenvole  House, 
Jerviston  House,   . 
Garrion  Tower, 
Haggs  Castle, 
Greenock  Mansion-House, 
Old  Bishopton  Castle,    . 
Loch  Ranza  Castle, 
Corsehill  Castle,     . 
Stair  House, 
Auchinleck  Castle, 
Maybole  Castle, 
Baltersan  Castle,    . 
Pinwherry  Castle, 

South  -  West  District — 
Galdenoch  Castle,  . 
Dunskey  Castle,     . 
Stranraer  Castle,    . 
Carsleuth  Castle,    . 
Park  House,  . 
Sorbie  Castle, 
Barholm  Castle, 
Earlston  Castle, 
Barscobe  House,    . 

South-East  District — 
Gogar  House, 
Inch  House,  . 
Bavelaw  Castle, 
Bonhard, 


:v  — 

CONTENTS 

PACK 

Fifeshire 

.       446 

Do., 

.       446 

Perthshire,    . 

.       447 

Do.,          .         . 

.       458 

Do., 

.       458 

Aberdeensh  i  re, 

458 

Do., 

.       459 

Forfarshire,  . 

.       459 

Ross-shire, 

462 

Do., 

.       465 

Lanarkshire, 

.       467 

Do.,        .         . 

.       471 

Dumbartonshire,    . 

.       474 

Lanarkshire, 

.       474 

Do., 

476 

Renfrewshire, 

478 

Do., 

.       484 

Do,        . 

.       489 

Buteshire, 

.       490 

Ayrshire, 

495 

Do,          .         . 

495 

Do, 

.       496 

Do, 

.       498 

Do,          .         . 

.       502 

Do, 

.       504 

Wigtonshire, 

.       506 

Do, 

.       507 

Do, 

.       511 

Kirkcudbrightshire, 

513 

Wigtonshire, 

.       515 

Do, 

519 

K  irkcudbrightshire, 

.       520 

Do, 

.       521 

Do, 

.       523 

Midlothian,    . 

.       525 

Do 

/.       528 

Do,        . 

.       531 

Linlithgowshire,     . 

.       533 

CONTENTS 


XVI    CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


Herbertshire  Castle, 
Newbyres  Tower,  . 
Colinton  Castle, 
Greenknowe  Castle, 
Evelaw  Tower, 
Hillslap  Tower, 
Colmslie, 
Langshaw, 
Buckholm  Castle,  . 
Frenchland  Tower, 
Drummelzier  Castle, 
Cardrona  Tower,    . 
Haystoun.  House,  . 

East  and  North-East  District — 
Rossend  Castle, 
Anstruther  Manse, 
Pitairthie  Castle,   . 
Queen  Mary's,  St  Andrews, 
Fernie  Castle, 
Creich  Castle, 
Cleisli  Castle, 
Pitfirrane  Castle,   . 
Blairlogie  Castle,   . 
Duchray  Castle, 
Balmanno  Castle,  . 
Newton  House,  Doune, 
Aberuchill  Castle, 
Comrie  Castle, 
Finlarig  Castle, 
Achallader  Castle, 
Balhousie  Castle,   . 
Pitheavlis  Castle,  . 
Cluny  Castle, 
Lethendy  Tower,  . 
Bannatyne  House, 
Flemington  House, 
Finhaven  Castle,    . 
Forter  Castle, 
Ballinshoe  Castle, . 
Kelly  Castle, 
Leith  Hall,    . 
Balfluig  Castle,    .  . 
Westhall  Castle,    . 


Stirlingshire, 

537 

Midlothian,   . 

.       538 

Do.,        . 

.       540 

Berwickshire, 

.       542 

Do.,        . 

.       546 

Roxburghshire, 

.       547 

Do.,        .         . 

.       547 

Do.,        .         . 

.       547 

Selkirkshire, 

.       551 

Dumfriesshire, 

.       552 

Peeblesshire, 

.       553 

Do.,        .         . 

.       554 

Do.,        .         . 

555 

Fifeshire, 

.       559 

Do., 

.       560 

Do., 

.       562 

Do,          .         . 

.       563 

Do., 

566 

Do., 

568 

Kinross-shire, 

.       569 

Fifeshire, 

.       572 

Perthshire,    . 

.      577 

Stirlingshire, 

.       577 

Perthshire,     . 

.       579 

Do., 

581 

Do,          .         . 

582 

Do., 

583 

Do, 

583 

Argyllshire,  . 

.       585 

Perthshire,    . 

585 

Do,          .         . 

588 

Do, 

589 

Do,          .         . 

.       590 

Forfarshire,  . 

.       592 

Do, 

,       592 

Do, 

..'      ,       594 

Do,          .         . 

.       596 

Do, 

.       598 

Do,          . 

.       599 

Aberdeenshire, 

.       600 

Do,          .         . 

,       600 

Do, 

.       601 

ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND           —    XV11   CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Tilly  cairn  Castle,  .         .         .  Aberdeenshire,       .         .         .601 

Esslemont  Castle,  .         .         .  Do.,          ....       603 

Pittullie  Castle.      ...  Do.,          ....       605 

Fordyce  Castle,      .         .         .  Banffshire,     .         .         .         .606 

Findochty  Castle,  .         .         .  Do.,          .         .         .         .608 

Boharm  Castle,      .         .         .  Do.,          .         .         .         .609 

Elchies  Castle,  Easter,    .         .  Morayshire,  ....       609 

Do.,            Wester,  .         .  Do.,          ....       610 

Aslisk  Castle,         .         .         .  Do.,          .         .         .         .611 

Castle  Grant,         .         .         .  Do.,          ....       611 

North  -  West  and  North  District — 

Dundarave  Castle,          .         .  Argyllshire,  .         .         .         .613 

Barcaldine  Castle,           .         .  Do.,        .         .         .         .618 

Invergarry  Castle,           .         .  Inverness-shire,      .         .         .       620 

Redcastle,      ....  Ross-shire,     .         .         .         .623 

Castle  Leod,           .         .         .  Cromarty,      .         .         .         .625 

Brims  Castle,          .         .         .  Caithness-shire,      .         .         .       628 

Downreay  Castle,  .         .         .  Do.,        .         .         .         .630 

Ardvreck  Castle,    .         .         .  Sutherlandshire,     .         .         .       631 

Edderchalder  or  Calda  House,  Do.,        .         .         .          .633 


THE   CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND 


ERRATA. 

Contents,  page  xv. — Garden  Tower,  for  446,  read  456. 
).  „  Baiidon  Tower,  for  446,  read  456. 

»  »  Meggernie  Castle,  for  447,  read  457. 

Page  117.— Delete  "  Iron  gate  "  on  illustration. 
„    263.— Eighth  line  from  bottom,  for  "on  the  north,"  read  "in  the 

north." 
„     281.—  For    "Maxwell    of    Calderwood,"   read   "the   Maxwells    of 

Calderwood." 

„    351.— For  "  Goldenock,"  read  "  Galdenoch." 

„    356.— For    "N.K.L.K,"   read   "M.K.L.N.,  for   Mark   Ker,   Lord 
Newbattle." 


propose,  before  entering  into  the  detailed  description  of  the  various  struc- 
tures not  hitherto  illustrated,  to  take  a  general  view  of  the  subject  as  a 
whole,  endeavouring  to  draw  attention  to  its  important  bearing  on  the 
social  and  historical,  as  well  as  the  artistic  aspects  and  relations  of  the 
country. 

Our  old  Scottish  castles  and  mansions  are  so  numerous,  and  form  such 
prominent  objects  in  the  landscape,  that  they  never  fail  to  strike  even  the 
most  careless  observer.  Their  picturesque  outlines  and  mouldering  ruins 
have  always  been  a  favourite  subject  with  our  artists,  and  are  the  constant 
theme  of  our  foreign  visitors  and  all  lovers  of  the  picturesque.  Their 
historical  associations  with  the  names  most  famous  in  Scottish  history  add 
largely  to  their  interest.  They  recall  the  great  struggle  for  independence 
under  Wallace  and  Bruce,  the  daring  exploits  of  the  Douglas,  the  vigour 
and  chivalry  of  the  Jameses,  and  their  frequent  expeditions  to  the  remoter 

A 


THE   CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND 

FROM  THE   TWELFTH  TO  THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTUEY. 


INTRODUCTION    TO    VOLUME    III. 

IN  the  previous  volumes  of  this  work  an  attempt  was  made  to  define 
the  successive  stages  through  which  the  Castellated  and  Domestic  Archi- 
tecture of  Scotland  has  passed,  and  to  describe  the  characteristic  features  of 
each  period.  The  various  periods  were  illustrated  with  numerous  examples, 
which,  it  was  believed,  would  be  considered  sufficient  to  prove  the  views 
enunciated.  But  since  those  volumes  were  published  we  have  been  enabled 
— as  we  then  ventured  to  express  a  hope  that,  with  the  assistance  of  others 
interested  in  the  subject,  we  might  be — to  ascertain  particulars  regarding 
the  present  and  original  condition  of  every  structure,  so  far  as  we  know,  of 
any  importance  falling  within  the  range  of  our  subject.  The  information 
thus  collected  corroborates  generally  the  conclusions  formerly  arrived  at, 
and  it  also  comprises  some  additional  materials  which  bear  especially  on 
the  earlier  castles  of  Scotland.  Being  now  in  a  position  to  trace  accurately, 
and  with  as  much  certainty  as  the  nature  of  the  subject  allows,  the  history 
of  the  architecture  of  our  castles  and  houses  during  the  period  selected,  we 
propose,  before  entering  into  the  detailed  description  of  the  various  struc- 
tures not  hitherto  illustrated,  to  take  a  general  view  of  the  subject  as  a 
whole,  endeavouring  to  draw  attention  to  its  important  bearing  on  the 
social  and  historical,  as  well  as  the  artistic  aspects  and  relations  of  the 
country. 

Our  old  Scottish  castles  and  mansions  are  so  numerous,  and  form  such 
prominent  objects  in  the  landscape,  that  they  never  fail  to  strike  even  the 
most  careless  observer.  Their  picturesque  outlines  and  mouldering  ruins 
have  always  been  a  favourite  subject  with  our  artists,  and  are  the  constant 
theme  of  our  foreign  visitors  and  all  lovers  of  the  picturesque.  Their 
historical  associations  with  the  names  most  famous  in  Scottish  history  add 
largely  to  their  interest.  They  recall  the  great  struggle  for  independence 
under  Wallace  and  Bruce,  the  daring  exploits  of  the  Douglas,  the  vigour 
and  chivalry  of  the  Jameses,  and  their  frequent  expeditions  to  the  remoter 

A 


INTRODUCTION  —    2    —  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATIONS 

parts  of  their  kingdom  ;  the  happy  as  .well  as  the  sad  experiences  of  Mary; 
the  disturbances  of  the  period  of  the  Reformation;  and  the  visits  of  James 
VI.  (often  forced  and  unwelcome,  and  not  always  pleasant  for  himself)  to 
the  castles  of  bis  nobility  and  gentry. 

Associations  such  as  these,  together  with  the  quaintness  and  originality 
of  the  buildings  themselves,  create  in  the  mind  of  the  observer  a  certain 
admiration  and  respect.  But  it  may  be  doubted  whether  the  attention  of 
the  public  has  yet  been  fully  awakened  to  the  more  important  bearings  of 
these  ancient  structures  on  the  history  of  our  land,  and  we  trust  that  what 
we  have  got  to  tell  about  them  may  have  some  influence  in  arousing  a 
deeper  and  more  intelligent  interest  in  the  venerable  remains  of  our  castles 
and  domestic  edifices  than  they  have  hitherto  excited. 

We  hope  to  be  able  to  show  that  they  contain  a  most  genuine  and  un- 
challengeable record  of  the  gradual  development  of  the  country,  and  of  the 
various  stages  of  civilisation  through  which  the  nation  has  passed.  They 
reveal  to  us  the  social  relations  of  the  people  of  Scotland,  both  in  peace 
and  war,  during  all  the  periods  of  our  national  life.  They  exhibit  the 
state  of  comparative  prosperity  and  adversity,  of  rudeness  and  refinement, 
of  jealousy  and  suspicion,  or  of  neighbourly  confidence  and  friendship,  in 
which  our  forefathers  dwelt  during  all  the  vicissitudes  and  trials  of  the 
varied  epochs  of  Scottish  history.  They  present  to  us  impressive  pictures 
of  the  domestic  conditions  of  the  various  classes  of  society,  and  enable  us 
to  trace  the  gradual  progress  of  the  inhabitants,  from  a  primitively  rude 
and  barbarous  condition  to  one  of  comfort  and  refinement.  They  further 
convey  to  us  some  idea  of  the  position  of  this  country  in  relation  to  other 
lands,  and  the  influences  produced  by  the  ties  of  alliance  and  friendship, 
as  well  as  by  the  experiences  of  war  and  invasion — the  former  leading  to 
the  gradual  amelioration  of  manners  and  the  encouragement  of  the  ameni- 
ties of  life ;  while  the  latter,  although  tending  to  strengthen  the  national 
vigour  and  love  of  liberty,  having  for  immediate  result  the  suppression  of 
the  country's  commerce  and  prosperity,  and  the  retardation  of  her  progress 
amongst  the  nations  of  Europe  for  a  long  period  of  years. 

The  History  of  our  Ecclesiastical  Architecture,  while  it  is  most  in- 
teresting in  itself,  and  shows  the  influence  of  alliances  with  foreign 
countries,  does  not  convey  to  the  mind  the  same  vivid  impressions  of 
the  condition  of  the  people  as  that  of  the  castles  and  houses  in  which 
they  dwelt.  It  will,  however,  be  pointed  out  as  we  proceed  how  the 
Civil  and  Ecclesiastical  styles  acted  and  reacted  on  one  another. 

It  has  already  been  shown*  how  mediaeval  castle  building  originated 
in  Gaul,  and  the  great  impetus  given  to  it  by  the  Normans.  Before 
that  vigorous  race  had  developed  its  full  strength  in  the  eleventh  century, 
the  fortifications  in  use,  both  abroad  and  in  Britain,  consisted  either  of 
ditches  and  earthen  mounds  strengthened  with  wooden  palisades,  or  of 

*  Vol.  i.  pp.  2-4. 


NORMAN  KEEPS  6   INTRODUCTION 

cranoges  or  artificial  islands  erected  in  lakes  on  piles  driven  into  the 
ground.  Of  these  early  fortifications  many  fine  specimens  are  to  be  seen 
north  of  the  Tweed.  Another  kind  of  defensive  structure  prevailed  in  Scot- 
land in  pre-historic  times,  of  which  a  large  number  of  examples  exist  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  These  fortresses  consisted  of  a  round  tower 
constructed  with  a  very  thick  wall  of  uncemented  masonry,  so  built  as 
to  leave  an  open  circular  courtyard  in  the  centre  of  the  tower.  The 
wall  contained  a  staircase  and  small  apartments  and  galleries  hollowed 
out  of  its  thickness  and  lighted  with  windows  looking  into  the  central 
courtyard.  These  forts,  or  "Brochs,"  as  they  are  called,  have  this  re- 
markable peculiarity,  that  while  they  are  traceable  in  every  part  of 
Scotland,  from  Berwickshire  to  Caithness,  they  are  strictly  limited  to  the 
soil  of  the  country  north  of  the  Tweed,  no  examples  having  been  found 
to  the  south  of  it.  Dr.  Joseph  Anderson  regards  them  as  a  part  -of  that 
wonderful  Celtic  civilisation  which  reached  such  a  high  point  of  develop- 
ment in  this  country  in  the  centuries  before  the  eleventh.  The  design 
and  construction  of  the  Brochs  are  unique,  and  as  places  of  security  they 
are  well  adapted  for  their  purpose.  Yet  they  do  not  seem  to  have  produced 
any  lasting  influence  on  the  style  of  fortress  adopted  in  later  times.  We 
have,  however,  already  drawn  attention,*  and  shall  again  have  occasion  to 
advert  to  some  particulars  in  the  fourteenth-century  keeps,  for  which  the 
galleries  and  pigeon-holes  wrought  in  the  walls  of  the  Brochs  may  well 
have  served  as  prototypes. 

The  palisaded  mounds  surrounding  the  primitive  fortresses  were  of  con- 
siderable size,  and  contained  extensive  enclosures  or  courtyards  in  which 
were  situated  wooden  structures  consisting  of  granaries,  barracks,  &c.  In 
the  centre  of  the  courtyard,  and  surrounded  with  its  ditch,  was  raised  the 
"  motte,"  or  mound,  on  which  stood  the  wooden  redoubt,  which  constituted 
the  citadel  or  residence  of  the  commander.  But  these  citadels  were  liable 
to  destruction  by  fire;  and  the  Normans,  who  were  great  workers  in 
masonry,  desiring  a  more  solid  and  less  perishable  fortress,  substituted 
a  stone  and  mortar  tower  for  the  wooden  redoubt.  Thus  originated  the 
formidable  and  gloomy  structure  so  well  known  as  the  "Norman  Keep."f 
For  the  wooden  palisades  were  now  also  substituted  solid  stone  and  mortar 
walls  as  the  enclosure  of  the  courtyard.  Such  castles  were  numerous  in 
Normandy  by  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century ;  and  after  the  Conquest 
the  whole  of  England  became  studded  with  these  symbols  of  the  Norman 
power  and  rule.  They  spread  to  the  very  borders  of  our  own  land,  one 
being  erected  at  Carlisle  on  the  west,  and  another  at  Norham  on  the 
Tweed,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  frontier.  But  it  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  not  one  Norman  keep  was  ever  reared  in  Scotland  which  is  thus 
entirely  free  from  those  marks  of  subjection  to  the  Norman  invader 
which  are  everywhere  impressed  upon  the  soil  of  England. 

*  Vol.  i.  pp.  62  and  236.  t  For  examples  see  Vol.  i.  pp.  5-18. 


INTRODUCTION  —    4    —  CASTLES  OP  13TH  CENTURY 

The  Norman  keep  (as  more  fully  described  in  Vol.  I.)  was  almost 
invariably  an  oblong  tower,  of  three  stories  in  height.  The  walls  were  of 
great  thickness,  with  only  a  very  few  small  loopholes  for  ventilation  in 
the  ground  floor,  which  was  reserved  as  a  storeroom  for  provisions  and 
munitions  in  case  of  siege.*  The  first  floor  was  entirely  occupied  by  the 
great  hall,  or  common  living  room,  where  the  chief  and  his  retainers  and 
domestics  fed,  and  most  of  them  slept ;  while  the  top  story  formed  the 
private  apartment  of  the  Norman  lord  and  his  family.  The  entrance  door 
to  the  keep  was  placed  for  security  on  the  first  floor  level,  and  was 
approached  by  a  moveable  wooden  ladder,  or  by  a  strongly-fortified  outer 
staircase,  contained  in  a  f orebuilding.  f  The  doorway  opened  directly  into 
the  hall,  from  which  a  wheel-stair  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  led  to  the 
top  of  the  tower.  The  defences  of  these  keeps  were  mainly  passive,  chief 
reliance  being  placed  on  the  massive  walls,  usually  twelve  to  twenty  feet 
in  thickness.  So  substantially  constructed  were  the  walls,  and  so  firmly 
cemented  together  with  hot-run  lime,  that  when  in  recent  years  it  was 
desired  to  form  an  aperture  in  the  ground  floor  wall  of  the  Tower  of 
London,  it  required  six  weeks'  labour,  with  all  the  appliances  of  modern 
science,  to  penetrate  the  solid  masonry. 

The  active  defence  of  the  keeps  was  carried  on  from  the  parapet  which 
ran  round  the  top  of  the  walls,  and  was  provided  with  embrasures  or 
crenellations,  from  which  arrows  and  other  missiles  could  be  showered  upon 
the  assailants.  These  Norman  castles,  when  properly  provisioned  and 
garrisoned,  were  able  to  resist  all  the  means  of  assault  then  known. 

What  chiefly  strikes  us  now-a-days  in  connection  with  these  edifices  is 
the  very  primitive  and  rude  nature  of  the  domestic  accommodation  which 
satisfied  the  brilliant  chivalry  of  Normandy,  amongst  whose  requirements 
and  attainments  that  of  domestic  comfort  must  certainly  have  held  a  very 
subordinate  place.  Yet  for  two  centuries  after  the  Conquest  such  primi- 
tive and  simple  keeps  continued  to  be  the  abodes  of  the  chief  nobles  of 
England. 

Early  in  the  thirteenth  century,  however,  improvements  began  to  be 
introduced  both  in  France  and  England.  Great  advances  had  been  made 
in  Ecclesiastical  Architecture,  and  fresh  skill  had  been  acquired  in  the  art 
of  attack  and  defence  of  fortresses  by  the  Crusaders,  who  in  this  depart- 
ment had  gained  much  instruction  from  their  contact  with  the  more 
scientific  Moors.  The  passive  strength  of  the  massy  keep  was  now  found 
insufficient  to  cope  with  the  new  military  engines  employed  in  sieges. 
These  hurled  great  stones  against  the  parapets,  and  threw  balls  of  Greek 
fire  against  the  roofs,  demolishing  the  former,  and  setting  the  latter  in 
flames.  It  therefore  became  necessary  to  keep  these  formidable  engines 
at  as  great  a  distance  as  possible,  and  with  this  view  the  walls  of  the 
courtyard  were  extended  and  strengthened.  Towers  were  also  erected  at 
*  See  Castle  Headingham  and  Rochester  Castle,  Vol.  i.  pp.  13  and  16.  t 


EARLIEST  SCOTTISH  CASTLES  0    —  INTRODUCTION 

the  angles  and  along  the  flanks,  from  which  they  boldly  projected,  in 
order  to  enable  the  defenders  to  protect  with  cross  fire  the  "  curtains  "  or 
spaces  of  wall  between  them.  The  keep,  originally  the  chief  feature  in 
the  fortress,  now  became  of  minor  importance,  although  still  retained  as  a 
last  resort  or  citadel.  The  great  enclosing  wall,  or  "  wall  of  enceinte," 
with  its  towers,  now  really  constituted  the  castle.  Each  tower  was  so 
constructed  and  designed  as  to  form  an  independent  post,  or  little  keep, 
which  had  to  be  assailed  separately — the  principal  keep,  or  lord's  resi- 
dence, being  merely  the  largest  and  most  carefully  protected  of  these 
redoubts.  Great  credit  is  given  by  Viollet-le-Duc  to  Richard  Cceur  de 
Lion  for  his  skill  in  designing  castles  of  this  form,  that  of  Chateau  Gail- 
lard,*  which  was  built  by  him  in  a  single  year,  exhibiting  all  the  newest 
ideas  introduced  into  the  military  architecture  of  the  period.  These 
castles,  with  great  walls  of  enceinte,  prevailed  in  France  and  England 
during  the  thirteenth  century;  and  this  is  also  the  type  of  fortress  with 
which  the  history  of  castle  building  in  Scotland  commences. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  no  Norman  castles  are  to  be 
found  in  Scotland.  While  the  latter  structures  were  being  reared  in 
England,  the  ancient  wooden  fort,  upon  its  "motte,"  surrounded  with  an 
earthen  palisaded  mound,  or  a  wall  composed  of  mingled  stones  and  earth, 
seems  to  have  been  still  adhered  to  in  this  country.  Such  was  the  Pele 
of  Lumphanan  on  Deeside,  where  Macbeth  was  slain  in  1057.  But  at 
the  period  we  have  now  reached  (the  twelfth  century)  a  great  change 
took  place  in  the  style  of  castle  building,  as  well  as  in  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  the  country  generally. 

From  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest  numerous  English  refugees 
had  fled  to  the  Scottish  Court.  Amongst  these  were  the  Aetheling  and 
his  sister  Margaret.  The  latter,  who  subsequently  became  the  queen  of 
Malcolm  Canmore,  was  naturally  desirous  to  civilise  and  improve  the  rude 
country  of  her  adoption,  and,  with  this  view,  was  favourable  to  the  influx 
of  Anglo-Saxons,  and  to  their  establishment  in  the  land.  These  refugees 
were  in  course  of  time  followed  by  hosts  of  Norman  adventurers,  either 
attracted  by  the  hope  of  pushing  their  fortune  under  the  favour  of  David  I., 
or  driven  northwards  by  the  disturbances  of  the  time  in  England.  Such 
adventurous  knights  were  well  received  at  the  Scottish  Court,  and  were 
frequently  gifted  with  newly-acquired  lands.  It  was  doubtless  hoped 
that  their  culture  and  skill  in  arms  would  prove  useful  in  defending  and 
developing  the  country,  and  in  civilising  the  inhabitants  ;  and  it  was 
reasonably  to  be  expected  that  such  wardens  would  be  faithful  to  the 
sovereign  to  whose  generosity  they  owed  their  appointment. 

These  new  lords  would,  as  soon  as  they  found  it  safe  and  practicable, 
try  to  establish  themselves  in  their  possessions  by  the  erection  of,  castles, 
which  would  naturally  be  designed  in  accordance  with  the  system  of 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  26. 


INTRODUCTION  —    O    INFLUENCE  OF  NORMANS 

defence  and  style  of  castle  building  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed 
in  the  more  advanced  regions  from  which  they  came.  In  this  way  it  is 
probable  that  building  with  stone  and  mortar  was  first  introduced  into 
the  construction  of  castles  in  Scotland.  This  also  explains  how  it  is  that 
the  earliest  mediaeval  castles  in  the  country  are  founded  on  the  design  at 
that  time  prevalent  in  France  and  England,  in  which,  as  above  stated,  the 
castle  consists  mainly  of  a  great  wall  of  enceinte. 

The  advent  of  these  Southern  guests  was  very  opportune  at  the  time 
we  are  considering,  their  skill  and  enterprise  being  found  valuable  in 
consolidating  the  outlying  and  newly-subdued  districts.  For  it  must  be 
kept  in  mind  that  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries  was  far  from  being  the  homogeneous  realm  we  are  in  the  habit 
of  regarding  it  in  later  times.  Up  to  the  period  of  David  I.  the  royal 
authority  scarcely  extended  beyond  the  Grampians.  But  the  Scottish 
kings  were  constantly  endeavouring  to  push  forward  their  borders,  and 
whenever  they  did  so  they  at  once  built  castles  for  the  defence  of  the 
territory  acquired,  or  called  upon  the  knights  to  whom  they  entrusted 
the  lands,  to  erect  fortresses  for  their  security.  Thus,  Moray  was  annexed 
by  David  I.,  and  forthwith  a  castle  was  raised  at  Inverness  to  secure  it. 
William  the  Lion  extended  his  rule  still  further  northwards,  adding  the 
county  of  Ross  to  his  dominions,  and  planting  two  castles  to  the  north 
of  the  Moray  Frith  for  its  defence.  It  is  highly  probable  that  these 
and  other  early  castles  before  the  thirteenth  century  were  of  the  primeval 
kind,  consisting  of  palisaded  earthen  mounds  and  ditches.  But  about 
that  time  the  new  style  of  castle  with  a  great  wall  of  enceinte  built  with 
stone  and  mortar  began  to  be  introduced.  The  general  form  of  this  kind 
of  fortress  is  not  very  dissimilar  to  that  formerly  in  use  in  Scotland,  the 
chief  difference  being  in  the  substitution  of  a  high  wall  built  with  stones 
and  mortar  instead  of  the  ancient  vallum  composed  of  great  masses  of 
rock  mixed  with  turf  and  earth,  and  of  a  keep  constructed  with  masonry 
instead  of  timber.  The  change  was  thus  not  so  marked  here  as  in 
England,  where  the  square  Norman  tower  with  its  courtyard  had  super- 
seded the  older  earthen  fortress,  and  occupied  the  country  for  the  two 
centuries  which  intervened  between  the  date  of  the  latter  and  the  new 
thirteenth-century  castle.  The  important  change  in  Scotland  was  the 
introduction  into  castles  of  regular  stone  and  mortar  masonry.  This,  as 
we  have  above  seen,  was  most  likely  brought  with  them  from  the  South  into 
the  land  of  their  adoption  by  the  Norman  and  English  settlers.  Hitherto 
these  immigrants  had  been  content  to  accept  the  primeval  forts  they 
found  on  the  lands  assigned  to  them,  or  to  construct  similar  ones.  But 
in  the  thirteenth  century  a  new  order  of  castles  arose. 

This  new  departure  was  no  doubt  encouraged  by  the  example  of  the 
ecclesiastics.  From  the  time  of  St.  Margaret  the  ecclesiastical  system 
of  Scotland  had  undergone  a  complete  change,  the  early  Culdees,  or 


CHURCH  BUILDING  EPOCH  —   7    —  INTRODUCTION 

priests,  being  gradually  superseded  by  those  under  the  Roman  influence. 
The  chapels  of  the  former  were  probably  small  cells  similar  to  those  still 
to  be  found  in  Ireland,  whence  the  original  missionaries  of  the  Scots 
came,  and  in  some  of  the  western  islands  of  Scotland.  But  in  the  twelfth 
century  numerous  bodies  of  monks  and  priests  were  brought  into  Scotland. 
Alexander,  David,  and  William  the  Lion  distinguished  themselves  by 
their  zeal  for  the  Church,  and  by  the  establishment  of  monasteries  in 
their  newly-acquired  domains.  These  institutions  were  found  valuable 
not  only  as  centres  of  religious  influence,  but  were  also  planted  for  the 
purpose  of  reclaiming  the  soil,  establishing  industries,  encouraging  agri- 
culture, and  generally  acting  as  pioneers  to  civilise  and  develop  the 
country.  Of  the  perseverance  and  success  of  the  many  religious  colonies 
which  were  at  that  time  imported  into  all  parts  of  the  country,  we  have 
abundant  evidence  in  the  splendid  architectural  remains  of  the  churches 
erected  within  a  century  of  their  establishment. 

David  I.  (1124-53)  is  well  known  as  the  great  promoter  of  this  en- 
lightened policy.  When  he  began  his  reign  he  found  only  four  Episcopal 
Sees  established  in  the  kingdom,  all  of  which  he  renovated,  while  he  also 
formed  five  new  ones,  thus  leaving  nine  bishoprics  behind  him.  Almost 
all  the  great  monasteries  and  churches  were  founded  by  him,  or  at  least 
before  the  death  of  William  the  Lion  in  1214.  The  names  of  Kelso,  Dry- 
burgh,  Jedburgh,  Melrose,  Dundrennan,  Whithorn,  New  Abbey,  in  the 
south ;  of  Holyrood,  Cainbuskenneth,  Dunblane,  Brechin,  Dunfermline,  St. 
Andrews,  Arbroath,  Glasgow,  Paisley,  in  the  central  districts ;  of  Elgin, 
Pluscardine,  Urquhart,  and  Kinloss  in  Moray ;  of  Fearn,  Beauly,  Tain, 
Dornoch,  Kirkwall,  in  the  north ;  together  with  a  host  of  other  less 
known  abbeys  and  churches,  show  the  extraordinary  enthusiasm  for  church 
building  which  prevailed  in  Scotland,  as  it  did  everywhere  throughout 
Christendom,  during  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries.  Nearly  all  the 
great  churches  and  cathedrals  of  France  and  England  were  also  founded 
at  that  time.  In  the  latter  century  the  religious  impetus  continued 
unabated,  many  of  the  first  modest  structures  of  the  twelfth  century 
being  demolished,  and  larger  and  more  imposing  edifices  reared  in  their 
stead,  or  great  additions  made  to  the  earlier  buildings.  Such  was  the  case 
in  Scotland  at  Dunfermline,  Kirkwall,  Kelso,  Melrose,  Holyrood,  Dun- 
blane, Glasgow,  St.  Andrews, — in  fact,  at  almost  every  one  of  the  early 
establishments.  These  rebuildings  and  additions  were,  of  course,  executed 
in  the  style  of  the  period  when  they  were  done,  while  many  edifices 
founded  somewhat  later  are  carried  out  in  the  first  Pointed  style.  Such 
were  Arbroath,  Stirling,  Ardchattan,  Crossraguel,  Dundee,  Inchmahome, 
Kilwinning,  New  Abbey,  Saddell,  Oronsay,  &c.  The  number  of  churches 
thus  reared  throughout  Scotland  was  immense,  and  so  constantly  and 
vigorously  were  the  works  pushed  on  that  it  was  said  that  "preaching 
could  not  be  heard  for  the  sound  of  the  hammers  and  trowels." 


INTRODUCTION  POSITION  OP  SCOTLAND 

This  was  pre-eminently  the  church  building  epoch  in  Scotland,  as  it  was 
also  everywhere  throughout  Europe.  The  number  of  men  engaged  in 
the  erection  of  churches  must  have  been  very  great.  It  is  difficult  to 
conceive  how  such  an  army  of  skilled  workmen  should  have  sprung  up 
so  suddenly  amongst  this  remote  and  lately  rude  and  uncivilised  people. 
It  may  possibly  be  suggested  that  they  came  from  England,  whence  we 
know  so  many  of  the  monks  were  fetched.  These  certainly  brought  with 
them  the  style  of  church  architecture  then  practised  in  the  South,  and 
which  was  thus  adopted  at  a  shortly  later  date  in  Scotland.  But  as 
regards  the  artisans  the  same  difficulty  arises,  whether  we  turn  to  England 
or  France.  The  church  building  mania  was,  if  possible,  in  a  more  fully 
developed  condition  in  those  countries  than  in  Scotland,  and  it  is  difficult 
to  imagine  how  they  could  provide  the  necessary  workmen  for  their  own 
requirements,  not  to  speak  of  sparing  a  multitude  for  employment  else- 
where. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that,  during  the  reigns  of  Alexanders  II.  and 
ill.,  in  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century,  Scotland  held  a  somewhat 
prominent  position  amongst  the  nations  of  Europe,  and  performed  her 
part  in  the  international  policy  of  the  time.  She  contracted  alliances 
with  foreign  countries ;  she  contributed  her  quota  of  knights  and  soldiers 
for  the  Crusades ;  she  carried  on  considerable  commerce  with  France 
and  the  Low  Countries,  and,  as  above  pointed  out,  she  also  joined  the 
community  of  European  nations  in  their  artistic  endeavours  to  glorify  the 
Church  and  exalt  the  Christian  faith  by  the  establishment  of  monasteries 
and  the  erection  of  cathedrals  and  churches.  The  workmen  required 
were  doubtless  natives  trained  to  the  work  by  the  ecclesiastics.  There 
is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  Scotland  was  not  at  that  period  as  capable 
of  supplying  workmen  as  she  was  of  maintaining  her  position  in  other 
respects. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  policy  above  described  of  importing 
strangers,  both  lay  and  ecclesiastical,  had  the  effect  of  producing  an 
entire  revolution  in  the  culture  and  condition  of  the  country.  One  effect 
of  this  introduction  of  new  blood  certainly  was  a  burst  of  prosperity 
such  as  had  never  before  been  known.  Scotland  had,  in  fact,  by  this 
revolution  been  subjected  to  a  real  though  quiet  Norman  Conquest— very 
different,  indeed,  in  its  process,  but  very  similar  in  its  results,  to  that  of 
England.  The  principal  fiefs  had  all  passed  into  the  hands  of  Norman 
barons  of  the  highest  name  and  descent,  in  whose  favour  feudal  charters 
were  granted.  The  following  quotation  from  Professor  Cosmo  Innes' 
Sketches  of  Early  Scottish  History  (p.  10)  shows  how  thoroughly  the  land 
had  been  Normanised : — "  It  is  astonishing  with  what  rapidity  those 
Southern  colonists  spread  even  to  the  far  North.  From  Tweed  and 
Solway  to  Sutherland,  the  whole  arable  land  may  be  said  to  have  been 
held  by  them.  The  great  old  Houses  of  Athol,  Lennox,  and  Strathearn 


IN  13TH  CENTURY  -    9    -  INTRODUCTION 

were  within  the  fastnesses?  of  the  Highlands.  Angus  soon  came  into  the 
De  Umphravils  through  marriage.  But  of  the  race  of  the  English 
colonists  came  Bruce,  Baliol,  Biset,  Berkeley,  Colville,  Cumin,  Douglas, 
Dunbar — descended  of  Northumbrian  princes,  long  themselves  princes  in 
the  Merse— Fleming,  Eraser,  Gordon,  Hamilton,  Lindsay,  Maule,  Max- 
well, Morvil,  Moubray,  De  Quinci,  Ruthven,  Stewart,  Sinclair,  Somer- 
ville,  Soulis,  Valoines,  Wallace,  and  many  other  names,  not  less  powerful 
though  less  remembered."  "  Norman  knight  and  Saxon  thegn  set  himself 
to  civilise  his  new  acquired  property,  settled  his  vil  or  his  town,  built 
himself  a  house  of  fence,  distributed  the  lands  of  his  manor  among  his 
own  few  followers  and  the  nativi  whom  he  found  attached  to  the  soil." 

In  a  similar  manner  they  founded  churches  and  monasteries,  and 
distributed  their  church  patronage  amongst  their  relatives  and  followers. 
The  old  primeval  system  of  the  Culdees  was  soon  swept  away,  and  the 
new  Roman  system  introduced.  Monks  and  bishops  were  brought  from 
England  and  France ;  and,  indeed,  the  whole  clergy  of  Scotland  were  at 
one  time  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Archbishop  of  York. 

Under  this  new  condition  of  affairs  the  country  became  civilised  and  con- 
solidated. The  maormors  of  the  North,  with  their  Highland  followers,  were 
subdued  and  held  in  check  by  the  royal  castles  and  the  barons  appointed 
to  command  them  ;  while  the  influences  of  religion  and  instruction  brought 
to  bear  on  the  people  through  the  monks  and  emissaries  of  Rome  tended 
to  the  cultivation  of  the  land  and  the  improvement  and  enlightenment  of 
the  inhabitants.  The  art  of  building  with  stone  and  mortar  was  also 
thoroughly  introduced  and  established,  and  the  abundant  natural  resources 
of  the  country  for  that  purpose  were  discovered  and  developed.  The 
application  of  the  new  method  of  building  to  civil  and  military  uses,  as 
well  as  ecclesiastical,  would  naturally  follow.  That  the  church  building, 
of  which  so  many  examples  still  survive,  was  accompanied  with  castle 
building  in  the  same  style  of  masonry,  may  be  well  imagined ;  but  of  that 
fact  we  are  able  to  adduce  some  remarkable  proofs  in  the  existence  of  castles 
which  are  evidently  contemporary  with  the  churches  of  the  same  locality, 
both  detached  and  connected.  Together  with  the  new  civilisation  which, 
in  the  above  manner,  overspread  the  land,  the  latest  style  of  castle  em- 
ployed in  England  and  France  in  the  thirteenth  century  was  naturally 
imported.  This,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  the  castle  consisting  of  a  great 
wall  of  enceinte,  strengthened  with  towers,  of  which  the  keep  forms  the 
largest.  Much  evidence  still  survives  in  every  part  of  the  country  to  show 
that  this  was  the  case,  and  that  these  castles  are  the  earliest  of  which  any 
trace  exists.  Several  examples  of  this,  the  "  first  period  "  of  our  Scottish 
Castellated  style,  have  already  been  exhibited  in  Vol.  i.  (p.  65);  and 
others  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  including  Dumfriesshire,  Berwick- 
shire, and  Ayrshire,  besides  a  number  in  the  Highlands  and  Islands,  are 
included  in  the  present  series. 


INTRODUCTION  —    10   —  HIGHLANDS  AND  ISLANDS 

While  adhering  to  the  general  idea  of  the  great  wall  of  enceinte,  these 
Scottish  castles  vary  not  a  little  in  their  mode  of  carrying  out  the  plan. 
Some  consist,  like  Mingarry  and  Duart,  of  nothing  but  a  plain  wall  of 
enceinte  ;  others,  like  Castle  Roy  and  Dunstaffnage,  show  signs  of  incipient 
towers ;  while  in  others,  such  as  Inverlochy  and  Achencass,  the  towers 
are  more  fully  developed;  and  in  the  castles  of  Bothwell,  Kildrummie,  and 
Dirleton  are  displayed,  along  with  the  same  military  features,  the  richness 
and  grandeur  of  the  style  as  it  was  carried  out  in  France  and  England. 
Castles  of  this  period  are  not  now,  however,  very  numerous  in  the  populous 
and  pi'ogressive  parts  of  the  country,  where  they  have,  in  many  cases, 
been  altered  or  removed  to  suit  the  requirements  of  later  times.  But  in 
the  more  remote  and  stationary  districts  of  the  Highlands  and  Islands, 
where  changeful  influences  have  not  been  so  strongly  felt,  the  result  has 
been  that  a  large  proportional  number  of  our  primitive  Scottish  castles 
have  survived,  and  remain  almost  unaltered  till  the  present  day. 

It  is  with  agreeable  surprise  that  the  investigator  finds  his  labours 
rewarded  by  the  discovery  of  so  many  examples  of  the  style  of  the  thir- 
teenth centuiy  in  the  Highlands  and  Islands  of  the  West  Coast ;  and  it  is 
satisfactory  to  observe  in  them  a  striking  corroboration  of  the  views  already 
submitted  regarding  the  first  period  of  our  Castellated  style.  Owing  to 
the  comparative  scarcity  of  examples  of  that  period  on  the  mainland,  it 
was  with  reference  to  this  first  division  Of  the  subject  that  confirmation 
of  the  classification  adopted  in  Vol.  I.  was  required;  but  the  examples 
now  adduced  will,  it  is  believed,  entirely  remove  all  possibility  of  doubt 
as  to  its  accuracy.  As  might  be  expected,  most  of  the  castles  in  these 
outlying  localities  are  of  a  simple  form  and  somewhat  rude  construction, 
consisting,  as  they  chiefly  do,  of  a  plain  wall  of  enceinte.  Unfortunately, 
they  are  also  almost  entirely  destitute  of  any  history  beyond  what  can  be 
gathered  from  the  internal  evidence  of  the  structures  themselves;  but 
considerable  light  is  thrown  on  the  subject  by  a  consideration  of  the 
general  history  of  the  Highlands  and  Islands  during  the  thirteenth  and 
fourteenth  centuries. 

We  have  already  seen  how  the  kingdom  was  extended  northwards  in 
the  twelfth  century.  At  that  period,  however,  little  progress  had  been 
made  westwards  through  the  mountain  barrier  of  Argyllshire.  That 
region,  together  with  the  Western  Islands,  as  well  as  the  Orkneys  and 
the  northern  parts  of  the  mainland,  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Scandinavian 
Vikings.  These  bold  and  enterprising  rovers  had,  in  the  ninth  century, 
spread  their  arms  over  all  those  portions  of  the  northern  coasts  of  Scot- 
land and  the  adjacent  islands  to  which  their  formidable  galleys  could  find 
access.  In  several  encounters  on  the  east  coast  they  had  been  successfully 
resisted,  but  they  ultimately  succeeded  in  obtaining  complete  possession  of 
all  the  islands  as  far  south  as  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  had  also  established 
themselves  in  Caithness,  and  at  various  points  on  the  West  Coast  of  Scot- 


HISTORY  OF  —    11    —  INTRODUCTION 

land,  as  well  as  on  the  mainland  of  Ireland.  These  possessions  formed 
what  was  called  the  "Kingdom  of  the  Isles."  It  was  held  nominally 
under  the  Crown  of  Norway,  but  really  by  almost  independent  rulers,  con- 
stantly in  revolt  against  Norway  and  at  war  with  one  another.  These 
petty  kings  were  for  a  time  brought  into  subjection  by  Magnus  Barefoot, 
who,  in  1093,  carried  out  a  formidable  expedition  for  that  purpose.  He 
re-established  the  suzerainty  of  Norway,  and  entered  into  an  agreement 
with  the  King  of  Scotland,  whereby  his  sway  was  acknowledged  over  all 
the  islands  between  which  and  the  mainland  a  helm-carrying  ship  could 
pass.  In  this  category  the  cunning  Norseman  managed  to  include  Kintyre, 
his  right  to  it  being  supposed  to  be  established  by  his  causing  his  galley, 
himself  seated  at  the  helm,  to  be  dragged  across  the  narrow  isthmus 
between  East  and  West  Lochs  Tarbert,  which  joins  the  peninsula  to  the 
mainland. 

Soon  after  this  time,  however,  the  native  inhabitants,  oppressed  by  the 
Norwegian  yoke,  appear  to  have  shown  a  strong  desire  to  rise  and  drive 
out  the  strangers.  In  this  movement  they  were  aided  by  Somerlid,  thane 
of  Argyll,  a  somewhat  mythical  personage,  who,  however,  embodied  the 
spirit  and  aspirations  of  the  people.  Under  him  the  Southern  Islands 
were  recovered  from  the  Norsemen  towards  the  middle  of  the  twelfth 
century,  and  by  him  they  were  transmitted  to  his  sons,  Ronald  and 
Dougal.  The  former  became  the  ancestor  of  the  Macronalds,  Lords  of 
the  Isles,  and  the  latter  of  the  Macdougals,  Lords  of  Lorn. 

Thus,  in  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  the  Kingdom  of  the  Isles 
was  divided  into  two,  the  Point  of  Ardnamurchan  marking  the  division 
between  the  northern  and  southern  groups.  Argyll  then  formed  the 
headquarters  of  the  southern  portion,  or  the  "  Suderies,"  as  it  was  called. 
This  extensive  and  wild  province  of  the  mainland  was  not  as  yet  incor- 
porated with  the  royal  domain,  but  steps  were  taken  for  that  purpose 
early  in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  in  1222  Argyll  was  brought  under 
the  Crown  by  Alexander  n.  Negotiations  were  then  entered  into  between 
the  king  and  Haco  of  Norway,  but  these  proving  unsuccessful,  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  islands  was  resolved  on.  Alexander  at  once  entered  vigorously 
on  the  task,  but  he  died  in  the  island  of  Kerrera  (opposite  Oban)  while 
prosecuting  the  attack.  This  led  to  the  great  invasion  of  the  islands,  and 
threatened  assault  upon  Scotland,  by  King  Haco,  with  an  overwhelming 
fleet,  which  resulted  in  his  well-known  overthrow  at  Largs  in  the  Frith  of 
Clyde,  and  the  cession  of  all  the  Western  Isles  to  Scotland,  in  1263.  By 
that  act  the  consolidation  of  the  country  was  accomplished  under  Alex- 
ander in.,  who  first  ruled  over  the  whole  kingdom  of  Scotland,  in  the 
sense  in  which  we  now  understand  the  name.  But  although  thus  brought 
under  the  Scottish  Crown,  the  islanders  were  for  a  long  time  most  unruly 
subjects,  and  very  fluctuating  in  their  allegiance.  Thus  Bruce  was  cordially 
supported  by  Angus  Oig  of  Islay,  but  bitterly  opposed  by  the  Macdougals 


INTRODUCTION  -12    —  CASTLES  IN  THE 

of  Lorn,  while  John  of  Islay  (Angus  Oig's  successor)  at  first  joined  Baliol, 
but  subsequently  yielded  to  David  n.,  by  whom  he  was  pardoned  and 
allowed  to  retain  a  large  portion  of  the  islands.  In  1346,  Amie,  the  wife 
of  John  of  the  Isles,  succeeded,  on  the  death  of  her  brother  Ronald  Mac- 
alan,  to  Uist,  Barra,  Eig,  and  Rum ;  and  John,  having  by  this  succession 
become  by  far  the  greatest  chief  in  the  Hebrides,  assumed  the  title  of 
Lord  of  the  Isles.  He  and  his  successors  long  maintained  a  kind  of  inde- 
pendence, but  during  the  fifteenth  century  their  power  was  curbed ;  and, 
notwithstanding  many  outbreaks  and  rebellions,  the  island  chiefs  were 
gradually  brought  under  complete  subjection  to  the  Jameses,  and  were 
found  to  form  an  important  accession  to  the  strength  of  the  kingdom. 
After  that  time  the  castles  erected  in  the  islands  were  naturally  Scottish 
in  character  (as  the  examples  of  the  different  periods  given  in  the  present 
series  show) ;  but  it  was  scarcely  to  be  anticipated  that  the  castles  of  the 
isles  during  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  when  they  were  prac- 
tically independent,  would  also  closely  resemble  those  of  the  mainland. 

The  same  influences,  however,  prevailed  in  those  early  times  among 
the  Hebrides  as  in  Scotland.  We  have  seen  how  the  Scottish  kings,  as 
they  extended  their  territories  in  other  regions,  planted  castles  for  their 
defence,  and  entrusted  their  safe  keeping  to  some  knight  in  whom  they 
had  confidence.  It  was  impossible  in  those  times  to  garrison  such  castles 
in  any  other  way,  and  the  keeper  had  the  same  interest  as  the  Crown  in 
protecting  his  domain  against  foreign  foes.  This  led  to  the  founding  of 
William's  castles  at  Edindower  and  Dunskaith,  north  of  the  Moray  Frith, 
and  to  the  planting  of  a  chain  of  castles  along  the  Caledonian  Valley,  to 
keep  the  Highlanders  of  the  north-west  in  check.  Thus  Urquhart  Castle, 
on  Loch  Ness,  and  Inverlochy  Castle,  at  the  western  extremity  of  the 
valley,  were  called  into  existence,  while  Dunstaffnage  seems  to  have  been 
erected  to  secure  Argyll  and  form  a  basis  for  operations  in  the  Western 
Isles.  These  royal  castles  were  entrusted  to  wardens,  Urquhart  being  in 
the  keeping  of  the  Durwards  ;  Inverlochy  in  that  of  the  Comyns,  Lords  of 
Badenoch;  and  Dunstaffnage  under  the  care  of  Macdougal  of  Lorn.  Two 
of  these  keepers,  it  will  be  observed  from  their  names,  belong  to  Norman 
families  already  established  and  grown  powerful  in  the  North.  The  Mac- 
dougals,  again,  were  descendants  of  Somerlid,  but  they  were  in  close  con- 
tact with  the  Comyns  and  other  Normans,  and  if  Dunstaffnage  was  erected 
by  them,  they  must  have  borrowed  from  their  neighbours  their  style  of 
castle  building.  The  other  Highland  and  Island  chiefs  would  in  a  similar 
manner  acquire  from  the  barons  in  their  vicinity  the  art  of  constructing 
castles  with  lofty  walls  of  enceinte. 

The  Church,  too,  had  spread  its  influence  into  these  regions,  and 
numerous  chapels  exist  throughout  Argyll  and  the  Isles  which  belong  in 
all  probability  to  the  Norman  and  Early  English  periods  (twelfth  and 
thirteenth  centuries).  These  structures,  although  very  numerous,  are 


HIGHLANDS  AND  ISLANDS  -    13    -  INTRODUCTION 

for  the  most  part  so  simple  in  form  and  devoid  of  ornamental  features 
that  their  age  is  not  easily  determined.*  In  some  cases,  however,  the 
date  can  be  fixed  either  by  the  style  of  the  architecture  or  by  written 
evidence.  At  Dunstaffnage,  for  instance,  the  style  of  the  chapel  is  so 
distinctly  Early  English  f  that  there  can  be  no  hesitation  in  assigning  its 
date  to  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century.  And  as  the  castle 
is  of  similar  workmanship,  and  is  known  to  have  existed  before  the  time 
of  Bruce,  it  may  safely  be  inferred  that  we  have  here  a  genuine  thirteenth- 
century  structure.  At  Skipness,  too  (illustrated  in  this  volume),  the 
chapel  of  St.  Columba,  which  is  distinctly  in  the  style  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  still  stands  not  far  from  the  old  castle.  Both  these  buildings 
have  features  in  common,  and  both  are  referred  to  in  a  charter  of  1261, 
in  which  Dufgal,  the  son  of  Syfyn,  presents  the  patronage  of  the  chapel 
close  to  his  castle  at  Skipness  to  the  monks  of  Paisley. 

The  style  of  the  architecture  and  facts  in  the  history  of  others  enable 
us  to  assign  a  considerable  number  of  the  castles  of  the  Highlands  and 
Islands  to  the  same  period.  There  is  thus  every  reason  to  believe  that 
the  castles  of  the  first  period  in  those  regions  were  erected  shortly 
after  the  isles  came  under  the  sway  of  King  Alexander  in.,  either 
as  royal  castles  or  by  the  island  chiefs  under  the  royal  authority  and 
instructions.  They  all  present  the  leading  feature  of  the  thirteenth- 
century  strongholds  of  Scotland  and  England,  viz.,  the  great  wall  of 
enceinte,  with  or  without  towers.  They  are  built  with  stone  and  mortar, 
and  most  of  them  have  the  long  narrow  windows  with  pointed  arches 
or  loops  of  a  cruciform  design  characteristic  of  the  period.  In  some  (such 
as  Castle  Swin)  broad  buttresses  like  those  of  Norman  work  are  used, 
and  many  have  the  large  gateway  of  the  period,  covered  with  a  pointed 
arch  provided  with  a  portcullis,  and  surmounted  by  a  chamber  on  the 
top  of  the  wall,  which  contained  the  machinery  for  working  the  latter, 
and  also  served  as  a  post  for  the  defence  of  the  gateway.  The  conclu- 
sion to  which  we  are  led  by  all  the  circumstances  above  narrated 
connected  with  these  castles  of  the  Western  Highlands  and  Islands  is 
that  they  are  the  result  of  the  general  policy  of  the  Crown,  which  was  to 
raise  fortresses  of  the  thirteenth-century  type  all  over  the  country,  and 
entrust  them  to  the  keeping  of  local  barons,  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining 
law  and  order,  and  with  a  view  to  ensure  the  carrying  out  of  the  royal 
decrees  in  every  part  of  the  dominion.  These  fortresses  might  either  be 
constructed  by  royal  mandate,  or  by  the  powerful  barons  and  chiefs  recog- 
nised by  the  Crown,  and  encouraged  to  hold  their  lands  under  the  authority 
of  the  king,  to  whom  they  thereby  acknowledged  themselves  vassals. 

That  these  castles  should  constitute  the  first  period  of  our  Scottish 
Castellated  Architecture  is  thus  seen  to  be  quite  natural.  They  'arose  at 

*  See  Mr.  T.  Muir's  Characteristics  of  Old  Church  Architecture  in  Scotland. 
t  Vol.  i.  p.  91, 


INTRODUCTION  14   DR.  HILL  BURTON'S  VIEWS 

the  period  when  the  Norman  strangers  had  introduced  a  new  order  of 
culture,  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  into  the  country,  and  are  therefore 
in  the  style  of  architecture  then  practised  throughout  Europe.  It  appears 
at  first  sight  strange  that  this  advanced  order  of  fortress  should  thus 
suddenly,  without  any  preliminary  or  tentative  steps,  spi'ing  up  in  every 
part  of  the  country.  But  we  trust  that  the  above  considerations  make 
it  evident  that  it  could  scarcely  have  been  otherwise.  The  primeval 
structures  in  the  form  of  earthen  forts  and  Culdee  chapels  continued  in 
force  till  the  quiet  "  Norman.  Conquest "  of  the  twelfth  century,  above 
referred  to,  had  taken  effect.  Then,  exactly  as  occurred  after  the  more 
violent  conquest  of  England  in  the  eleventh  century,  everything  was 
changed,  and  a  new  civilisation  introduced  along  with  the  feudal  system. 
This,  too,  was  the  period  when  the  Roman  Church  and  the  civil  power 
spread  their  influence  over  the  remote  parts  of  the  kingdom,  including 
the  islands,  and  planted  everywhere  the  new  forms  of  architecture 
peculiar  to  the  period  both  in  castles  and  churches. 

Dr.  Hill  Burton,  in  his  careful  and  generally  accurate  account  of 
Scottish  Architecture,*  refers  to  the  above  castles  in  the  Western  High- 
lands and  Islands  only  to  wonder  at  them ;  and  while  professing  his 
inability  to  explain  their  existence,  asks  whether  they  may  not  have 
been  reared  by  the  princely  Scandinavian  rulers  of  the  isles.  But  we 
have  no  evidence  that  the  Norsemen,  like  the  Normans,  were  builders 
in  stone  and  mortar.  Their  strength  lay  on  the  sea,  and  they  put  their 
trust  in  the  powerful  galleys  which  they  so  skilfully  constructed,  and 
in  which  they  could  move  from  place  to  place  as  their  desire  for  fighting 
and  plunder  might  prompt  them. 

Now,  however,  when  it  is  seen  how  naturally  these  primitive  castles 
of  the  West  fall  into  their  place  as  part  of  the  earliest  period  of  our 
National  Castellated  Architecture,  their  origin  seems  to  be  explained 
in  the  simplest,  which  in  such  cases  is  generally  the  best  way,  and 
speculations  such  as  the  above  become  unnecessary. 

The  distinguishing  feature  of  all  the  Scottish  castles  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  or  first  period,  is,  as  already  mentioned,  a  great  wall  of  enceinte, 
with  or  without  towers  at  the  angles,  crowned  with  a  walk  on  the  top, 
defended  by  a  crenellated  parapet.  The  space  enclosed  is  frequently  more 
or  less  quadrangular ;  but  in  several  instances  the  wall  follows  the  outline 
of  the  mass  of  rock  or  other  site  on  which  it  stands,  thus  giving  the  struc- 
ture an  irregular  and  multangular  form.  Examples  of  both  these  designs 
are  found  equally  011  the  mainland  and  in  the  islands.  Lochindorb  in 
Moray,  Inverlochy  in  Argyll,  and  Achencass  in  Dumfriesshire,  show  the 
square  plan,  with  towers  at  the  angles.  Duart  in  Mull,  Skipness  and 
Castle  Swin  in  Argyll,  and  Castle  Roy  in  Inverness,  were  originally 
simple  parallelograms,  two  of  them  with  one  or  two  square  towers.  Loch 

*  Hist.  Vol.  ii.  p.  100. 


CASTLES  OP  FIRST  PERIOD  -    15    -  INTRODUCTION 

Doon  Castle,  Ayrshire,  Mingarry  and  Kismull  in  the  Hebrides,  Home 
Castle  in  Berwickshire,  and  Urquhart  on  Loch  Ness,  follow  the  outline 
of  their  elevated  rocky  sites ;  while  the  round  form  of  Rothesay  and  the 
triangular  plan  of  Caerlaverock  are  special  shapes,  probably  arising  from 
some  peculiarity  of  the  sites,  which  were  by  those  arrangements  the  better 
adapted. for  defence  by  the  wet  ditches  which  surrounded  them.  Some 
of  these  early  fortresses,  as  originally  constructed,  are  of  the  most  primitive 
and  simple  design,  and  presented  to  view  no  other  elements  besides  the 
crenellated  enclosing  wall :  such,  for  example,  is  Mingarry  on  the  Sound 
of  Mull.  Others  were  distinguished  in  outward  aspect  by  the  greater 
elevation  of  the  angle  towers  above  referred  to  over  the  curtains,  and  by 
lofty  pointed  gateways,  armed  with  a  portcullis  and  its  machicolated 
chamber  above.  Thus  Inverlochy  and  Achencass  would  be  relieved  by 
the  commanding  towers  at  the  angles ;  while  Skipness,  Swin,  and  Duart 
presented  to  the  eye  nothing  but  a  plain  enclosing  wall,  with  an  outline 
broken  only  by  the  great  gateway,  defended  by  a  portcullis,  and  surmounted 
by  an  upper  chamber  armed  with  machicolations. 

Such  are  the  simpler  forms  of  the  Scottish  castles  of  the  first  period ; 
but  (as  shown  in  a  previous  volume),*  the  same  style  of  castle  is  carried 
out  in  a  much  more  extensive  and  splendid  scale  in  such  structures  as 
Kildrummie  in  Aberdeenshire,  Dirleton  in  East  Lothian,  and  Bothwell 
on  the  Clyde.  An  example  of  fine  masonry  combined  with  simplicity 
of  general  form  occurs  in  the  present  volume,  in  Loch  Doon  Castle 
in  Ayrshire.  In  these  buildings  the  materials  and  workmanship  are 
superior,  the  walls  being  constructed  with  finely  wrought  ashlar,  and 
the  doors,  windows,  and  parapets  ornamented  with  mouldings  and 
carved  work.  So  great  is  the  difference  between  the  style  of  these 
castles  and  that  of  the  ruder  erections  above  referred  to,  that  many  have 
attributed  this  superior  work  to  the  English  during  their  occupation  of 
the  country  under  the  Edwards.  But  this  supposition  does  not  appear  to 
be  necessary.  The  more  elaborate  castles  are  in  the  central  and  civilised 
parts  of  the  country,  where  good  freestone  abounds,  and  where  building 
in  ashlar  was  familiar  through  the  work  of  the  ecclesiastics ;  and  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  why  families  such  as  the  De  Moravias  should  not 
desire  to  have  as  fine  work  in  their  castles  of  Bothwell  and  Kildrummie 
as  in  the  numerous  churches  erected  by  them.  Besides,  as  previously 
pointed  out,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  Bothwell  rather  resembles  a 
French  than  an  English  castle  of  the  thirteenth  century,  while  Dirleton 
was  in  existence  before  the  time  of  Edward's  invasion,  and  was  destroyed 
— not  restored — by  the  English.  Yet  the  work  at  Dirleton  is  of  as  highly 
finished  a  character  as  that  of  any  of  the  castles  in  Scotland. 

Attention  has  already  been  drawn  to  the  prosperous  condition  of  the 
country  during  the  reigns  of  Alexanders  n.  and  in.,  and  the  magnificent 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  93, 


INTRODUCTION  16  -  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE 

churches  and  castles  which  were  then  erected,  whose  remains  still  convey 
to  us  some  impression  of  the  rapid  progress  the  kingdom  had  made  in  the 
two  centuries  which  had  elapsed  since  Queen  Margaret  inaugurated  the 
new  system  of  things.  But  this  state  of  prosperity  was  brought  to  a 
sudden  close.  In  1286  King  Alexander  in.,  in  a  foolhardy  ride  in  the 
dark,  from  Burntisland  to  his  hunting  seat  at  Kinghorn,  on  the  coast  of 
Fife,  was  thrown  from  his  horse  over  the  rocks,  and  killed.  His  grand- 
daughter, the  Maid  of  Norway,  his  only  heiress,  died  in  Orkney,  while  on 
her  way  to  Scotland  to  ascend  the  throne.  The  country,  thus  deprived  of 
any  legitimate  head,  was  immediately  plunged  into  the  difficulties  and 
disorders  of  a  disputed  succession.  The  nobles  were  split  up  into  parties, 
rule  and  authority  were  paralysed,  and  commerce  and  business  were  brought 
to  a  standstill. 

Then  followed  the  arbitration  of  Edward  I.,  resulting  in  the  appoint- 
ment of  John  Baliol  as  king,  and  leading  to  Edward's  invasion  of  Scotland 
in  1296,  and  the  occupation  of  the  country  by  his  troops.  The  people 
of  Scotland,  long  accustomed  to  freedom  and  independence,  could  not 
endure  the  loss  of  liberty  and  the  presence  of  the  stranger  in  the  land ; 
and,  first  under  Wallace,  and  subsequently  under  Bruce,  they  rose  against 
the  invaders,  and  maintained  for  eighteen  years  a  fierce  though  inter- 
mittent struggle  for  liberty  and  independence,  which  was  at  length 
brought  to  a  successful  issue  at  Bannockburn  in  1314.  But  the  conflict 
was  long  and  severe,  having  lasted  practically  from  Alexander's  death 
in  1286  till  1314.  Nor  was  it  yet  over;  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
fourteenth  century  a  constant  strife  had  to  be  maintained  with  Edward 
in.,  and  even  Richard  II.,  and  it  was  not  till  the  weak  government  of 
the  latter,  and  the  foreign  wars  and  internal  dissensions  of  England,  gave 
the  Scots  a  favourable  chance,  that  they  succeeded  in  finally  establishing 
their  independence. 

While  this  war  of  a  hundred  years  lasted  the  country  was  over  and 
over  again  devastated  and  its  resources  exhausted.  Many  of  the  Norman 
nobles,  who  held  the  largest  estates,  forsook  Scotland  and  left  her  to  be 
defended  by  the  natives.  Thus  deprived  of  her  most  influential  barons, 
and  thinned  out  and  impoverished  by  war  and  famine,  the  condition  of 
the  country  was  reduced  to  one  of  great  misery. 

The  golden  age  of  Scotland  had  passed,  her  commerce  was  destroyed 
and  her  people  ruined.  Nothing  remained  to  them  save  their  liberty 
and  independence.  The  effect  of  this  disaster  is  at  once  apparent  in  the 
castles  and  houses  erected  during  the  above  period. 

Before  this  time  we  have  seen  that  Scotland  occupied  an  acknowledged 
place  amongst  the  European  nations,  and  that  she  kept  pace  in  Castellated 
and  Church  Architecture  (in  style,  if  not  in  dimensions)  with  other 
countries.  But  from  the  time  of  the  wars  of  secession  and  independence 
her  position  is  completely  changed.  So  utterly  exhausted  and  im- 


KEEPS  OF  14TH  CENTURY  17   INTRODUCTION 

poverished  was  the  country  by  that  protracted  struggle  that  in  the 
fourteenth  century  none,  not  even  the  highest  and  most  powerful,  could 
undertake  such  extensive  works  as  had  been  universal  in  the  two  preceding 
centuries.  Besides  this,  the  policy  of  Bruce  forbade  the  construction  of 
large  castles,  which,  it  was  feared,  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
and  give  him  a  secure  footing  in  the  land.  In  these  circumstances, 
although  it  is  at  first  sight  somewhat  surprising,  on  consideration  it  is 
not  unnatural  to  find  that  the  nobles  fell  back  on  the  plan  of  the  ancient 
Norman  keep,  which  had  been  abandoned  in  the  land  of  its  birth  and 
adoption  for  about  two  hundred  years.  Many  of  these  keeps  were 
doubtless  still  in  use  in  England,  and  their  arrangements  must  have  been 
familiar  to  those  of  Norman  descent  who  still  held  possessions  both  in 
England  and  Scotland,  while  their  strength  would  be  impressed  on  the 
Scots  by  experience  during  their  raids  over  the  Border.  But  the  movement 
was  one  of  retrogression,  and  shows  how  terribly  the  condition  of  the 
country  had  been  thrown  back  by  the  fiery  trial  through  which  it  had 
passed.  Here,  then,  we  have  another  example  of  the  influence  of  the 
"  Norman  Conquest "  upon  Scotland.  The  Norman  institutions  of  Church 
and  State  had,  as  above  pointed  out,  already  spread  themselves  over  the 
country,  and  now,  at  the  late  date  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the  Norman 
keep  is  also  introduced,  and  is  found  as  suitable  for  the  nobility  of 
Scotland  in  their  reduced  condition  as  it  had  been  for  those  of  England 
two  centuries  before.  The  close  resemblance  of  the  castles  of  Scotland  at 
this  period  to  the  Norman  keep  is  shown,  and  their  arrangements  are  fully 
described,  in  a  previous  volume.*  The  Scottish,  like  the  Norman  keep,  con- 
sisted of  a  three-storied  tower — having  stores  in  the  vaulted  basement ;  a 
common  hall  on  the  first  floor,  where  all  the  retainers,  guests,  and  domestics 
fed  and  slept  promiscuously ;  and  a  second  floor,  which  formed  the  private 
apartment  of  the  lord  and  his  family.  The  walls,  like  those  of  the  proto- 
type of  the  eleventh  century,  were  massive,  the  entrance  door  was  on  the 
first  floor,  and  the  defences  were  at  the  parapet  of  the  roof.  A  small 
courtyard,  containing  outhouses,  was  generally  attached  to  the  castle. 
The  hall  was  often  vaulted,  and  the  roof  was  frequently  formed  of  stone 
slabs,  laid  on  a  pointed  arch,  so  that  the  whole  structure  might  be  rendered 
completely  fireproof. 

These  simple  keeps  are  especially  characteristic  of  the  century  which 
succeeded  Bannockburn,  all  the  castles  then  erected  being  of  this  descrip- 
tion. In  many  instances,  particularly  in  the  Western  Highlands  and 
Islands,  keeps  of  this  sort  have  been  added  to  the  great  wall  of  enceinte 

of  the  more  ancient  castles,  such  as  Duart,  Kismull,  and  Ellan-Tirrim. 

Even  the  king's  palaces  were  simple  keeps  such  as  above  described.     At 

Rothesay  the  keep  was  added  to  the  existing  circular  wall  of  enceinte ; 

and  the  castle  of  Dundonald,  in  Ayrshire,  in  which  Robert  II.  lived,  and 

*  VoL  i.  p.  144. 
B 


INTRODUCTION  —    18    —  ACCOMMODATION  IN  KEEPS 

died,  although  on  a  larger  scale,  is  on  the  same  plan  as  the  other  keeps 
of  the  fourteenth  century.  Dundonald  is  about  80  feet  by  40  feet,  while 
the  castles  of  the  nobles  generally  vary  from  40  to  60  feet  in  length,  by 
20  to  30  feet  in  width.  The  limited  accommodation  provided  by  these 
structures  would  appear  to  have  well  suited  the  requirements  of  the 
country  in  its  reduced  condition,  both  then  and  for  a  long  time  afterwards, 
as  keeps  of  this  kind  continued  to  be  erected  for  the  mansions  of  the 
smaller  proprietors  down  to  the  seventeenth  century. 

As  already  mentioned,  the  accommodation  contained  in  the  castles  of 
the  fourteenth  century  is  of  the  most  meagre  description — one  common 
hall  being  the  only  apartment  for  retainers,  visitors,  and  servants.  Bed- 
rooms were  unknown,  and  even  a  kitchen  was  wanting,  the  cooking  being 
done  at  the  hall  fire  or  in  some  shed  in  the  courtyard.  In  the  description 
of  Pitsligo  Castle,  to  be  given  in  the  following  pages,  there  is  an  old 
account,  written  in  1723,  which  mentions  that  "the  top  story  was  the 
sleeping  apartment  for  the  whole  family,  and  had  in  it  twenty-four  beds." 

There  is  one  chamber,  however,  which  is  seldom  absent,  viz.,  the 
prison  or  "pit,"  an  adjunct  of  some  importance  at  a  time  when  every 
lord  of  the  manor  possessed  the  power  of  "pit  and  gallows,"  and  could 
imprison  and  execute  as  seemed  to  him  right.  Every  castle,  therefore, 
has  its  prison  or  "pit,"  a  small  chamber  about  8  or  9  feet  long  by 
3  or  4  feet  wide,  formed  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  and  to  which 
access  was  obtained  only  by  a  stone  trap-door  in  the  floor  of  a  guard- 
room above.  In  old  castles  attention  is  frequently  drawn  to  iron 
hooks  or  rings  in  the  vaults,  which  are  said  to  have  been  used  for  sus- 
pending prisoners  from.  But  that  is  a  popular  fallacy.  Hangings  were 
generally  executed  on  a  large  tree  near  the  castle,  where  the  victim  might 
be  seen  and  produce  the  proper  effect  on  the  beholders.  The  gallows-tree 
is  still  pointed  out  in  the  vicinity  of  many  of  the  larger  castles.  The 
hooks  in  the  vaults  were  used  for  the  innocent  purpose  of  hanging  up 
provisions  or  lamps,  while  the  prisons  are  carefully-constructed  pits  such 
as  above  described.  They  had  no  windows,  but  are  usually  ventilated  by 
a  small  opening  in  the  wall  placed  at  a  high  level,  and  sloped  upwards 
diagonally  through  the  masonry. 

As  may  be  readily  conceived,  everything  in  the  form  of  ornament  was 
entirely  absent  from  the  fourteenth-century  keeps.  The  corbelling  of  the 
parapet  was  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  was  even  frequently  absent,  the 
parapet  being  carried  up  flush  with  the  face  of  the  wall.  A  round  over- 
hanging bartizan  corbelled  out  at  each  angle,  together  with  a  few  plain 
gargoyles  to  carry  off  the  water  from  the  parapet  walks,  are  the  only  objects 
which  break  the  plain,  grim  aspect  of  the  structure. 

Such  were  the  castles  or  houses  in  which  the  king  and  the  nobility  of 
Scotland  dwelt  during  the  fourteenth  century,  and  these  simple  keeps 
constitute  the  second  period  of  our  Domestic  Architecture.  The  contrast 

\ 


FRENCH  AND  ENGLISH  CASTLES        19    -  INTRODUCTION 

between  the  cramped  dimensions  of  these  rude  and  mean  abodes  and  the 
grand  and  imposing  castles  of  the  first  period  is  striking  indeed,  and 
conveys  a  very  palpable  impression  of  the  miserable  and  poverty-stricken 
condition  of  the  country  during  the  fourteenth  century. 

Nor  did  it  fare  much  better  with  the  Ecclesiastical  Architecture  of 
this  period,  which  in  the  neighbouring  kingdom  was  then  at  its  zenith. 
While  in  England  there  arose  such  splendid  monuments  in  the  Decorated 
style  as  the  west  front  of  York  Minster,  the  Minster  and  St.  Mary's  at 
Beverley,  and  the  beautiful  works  at  Newark,  Carlisle,  Ely,  Selby,  Lich- 
field,  Exeter,  Dorchester,  Oxford,  and  a  hundred  other  places  throughout 
England,  there  scarcely  exists  in  Scotland  a  single  edifice  which  can  claim 
a  place  in  this  the  most  perfect  of  Gothic  styles.  A  solitary  exception 
may  perhaps  be  made  in  favour  of  Melrose  Abbey,  which  was  the  favourite 
shrine  of  the  Bruce,  and  to  the  restoration  of  which  he  largely  contributed. 
But  even  here  the  work  of  the  fourteenth  century  was  subsequently  much 
destroyed,  and  most  of  the  existing  building  is  of  a  later  date. 

While  the  magnificent  churches  of  the  Decorated  period  were  in  pro- 
gress in  England,  the  castles  of  that  country  and  of  France  were  also 
advancing  in  stateliness  and  convenience.  The  great  wall  of  enceinte  of 
the  thirteenth  century,  with  its  keep  and  round  towers,  was  found  to  be  a 
somewhat  dismal  abode.  Extended  and  more  cheerful  accommodation 
was  called  for,  and  was  gradually  provided  by  the  erection  of  halls,  private 
rooms,  bedrooms,  <fec.,  round  the  interior  of  the  walls  of  enceinte,  the  apart- 
ments being  provided  with  cheerful  windows  overlooking  the  country.  This 
arrangement  was  soon  carried  out  in  a  very  complete  manner  in  England, 
where  the  absence  of  foreign  enemies  had  allowed  of  a  more  rapid  develop- 
ment of  the  dispositions  required  for  comfort  and  convenience  than  in 
France,  where,  however,  the  perfecting  of  the  military  elements  had  been 
very  successfully  carried  out.  We  thus  find  by  the  beginning  of  the 
fifteenth  century  that  the  domestic  arrangements  of  the  castles  and  manors 
in  England  had  reached  a  high  point  of  development,  while  in  France  the 
principles  of  defence  had  been  carried  to  the  farthest  limit  required  by 
mediaeval  warfare.  In  both  countries  the  improvements  of  plan  were 
accompanied  with  a  growth  of  refined  and  decorative  architecture  which 
converted  these  structures,  reared  for  service  in  war,  into  beautiful  and 
commodious  palaces  and  mansions,  full  of  elegant  furnishings  and  decora- 
tions. 

Scotland  during  the  fourteenth  century  had,  unfortunately,  from  the 
causes  above  referred  to,  dropped  far  behind  in  civilisation  and  in  social 
and  material  development.  But  during  the  fifteenth  century  manners 
and  means  had  so  far  improved  that  the  three  or  four  rooms  of  the 
keep  no  longer  sufficed  for  the  accommodation  of  the  larger  proprietors, 
and  it  was  not  long  till  a  plan  was  adopted  for  enlarging  the  number  of 
apartments.  This  consisted  of  the  addition  of  a  wing  or  tower  at  one 


INTRODUCTION  20  IMPROVEMENT  OP  KEEPS 

corner  of  the  oblong  keep.  By  this  means  a  few  small  chambers  were 
obtained,  which  might  be  used  as  separate  bedrooms.  This  wing  gave 
the  building  the  shape  of  the  letter  L,  and  the  design  thus  produced  is 
therefore  called  the  L  plan.  At  Borthwick  Castle  two  such  wings  are 
added  to  the  keep,  both  on  one  side,  and  a  large  number  of  rooms  is 
thus  obtained.  In  other  cases,  such  as  Elphinstone,  the  simple  oblong 
form  is  preserved,  and  extraordinary  expedients  are  adopted  in  order  to 
enlarge  the  accommodation  and  provide  separate  sleeping  places.  Some- 
times the  walls  are  hollowed  out  with  small  chambers  just  large  enough  to 
hold  a  bed.  Occasionally  two  of  these  wall-chambers  are  inserted  in  the 
height  of  one  story,  with  small  stairs  leading  to  the  upper  ones.  Even  the 
haunches  of  the  vaults  and  every  odd  corner  are  made  available  for  the 
construction  of  sleeping  places.*  So  peculiar  and  remarkable  are  these 
structures,  honeycombed  with  cells,  that  they  tempt  one  to  imagine  that 
they  may  indicate  a  traditional  form  of  construction  handed  down  from 
the  days  of  the  Celtic  Brochs.  In  other  instances,  as  many  chambers 
as  possible,  with  low  ceilings,  are  crammed  into  the  height  of  the  wing  of 
the  L  plaiis,f  and  the  staircase,  being  in  the  angle  of  the  wing,  served  to 
give  access  to  all  these  pigeon-holes  as  well  as  to  the  larger  apartments  of 
the  main  keep.  Separate  kitchens  also  gradually  came  into  requisition. 
These  were  either  placed  in  the  wing,  as  at  Borthwick,  or  in  a  wall-chamber, 
as  at  Sauchie,  or  a  narrow  slice,  4  or  5  feet  wide,  was  cut  off  from  one  end 
of  the  hall  by  a  partition,  and  provided  with  a  great  chimney,  sometimes 
larger  than  the  kitchen  itself.  Examples  of  this  arrangement  occur  at 
Elphinstone,  Newark,  and  a  number  of  castles  near  the  Frith  of  Clyde, 
described  in  this  volume,  such  as  Fairlie,  Law,  and  Saddell.  After  a  time, 
however,  it  was  found  expedient  to  banish  that  useful  apartment  to  the 
basement  floor,  where  there  was  more  room  for  it,  and  where  its  savoury 
odours  would  have  freer  play.  At  Dunnottar  the  kitchen  was  originally  in 
the  wing,  but  was  subsequently  removed  to  the  basement  (see  Vol.  I.  p.  568). 
Many  of  the  keeps  of  the  fifteenth  century  have  also  at  least  one  additional 
story  added  to  the  height  of  the  main  building,  and  largely  increased 
accommodation  is  thereby  obtained. 

Progress  in  culture  is  at  the  same  time  shown  in  the  adornment  as 
well  as  the  convenience  of  the  dwelling — the  desire  for  ornamentation 
expanding  as  the  accommodation  improved.  The  corbellings  of  the 
parapet  and  bartizans,  at  first  entirely  useful  features,  were  now  converted 
into  ornamental  ones,  and  frequently  display  considerable  taste.  The 
doorways,  although  still  jealously  guarded  and  armed  with  iron-grated 
doors,  are  now  brought  down  for  convenience  of  access  to  the  ground  level. 
They  are  also  surrounded  with  mouldings,  and  surmounted  with  one  or  more 
panels,  containing  the  shield  and  arms  of  the  founder  and  his  wife.  Of 

*  See  Elphinstone,  Comkmgan,  &c.,  Vol.  I.  pp.  233,  237. 
t  See  Borthwick,  Vol.  I.  p.  348, 


NEW  STYLE  INTRODUCED  21    -  INTRODUCTION 

all  these  features  Balvaird  (Vol.  I.  p.  335)  may  be  referred  to  as  a  favour- 
able example.  The  interiors  are  also  more  or  less  decorated.  The  fire- 
places have  the  jambs  carved  into  shafts  with  ornamental  caps  and  bases  ; 
shields  are  cut  or  painted  on  the  corbels  supporting  the  joisting,  and  on 
the  mantelpiece ;  and  the  walls  and  vaults  are  covered  with  painted  plaster 
work,  or  panelled  with  wood  and  hung  with  tapestry.*  At  Borthwick 
and  Craigmillar  such  paintings  on  the  walls  and  vault  of  the  hall  were, 
till  recently,  quite  visible,  and  seemed  to  have  been  of  an  heraldic  character. 

One  of  the  most  striking  and  remarkable  circumstances  observable  in 
connection  with  our  Scottish  Domestic  Architecture  is  the  persistence 
with  which  the  keep  plan  is  adhered  to  through  all  the  changes  of  several 
centuries.  The  "  Norman  Keep,"  introduced,  as  we  have  seen,  in  the  four- 
teenth century  from  necessity,  continued  from  choice  to  be  the  general 
style  of  domestic  architecture,  at  least  amongst  the  smaller  proprietors, 
till  the  seventeenth,  and  even  the  eighteenth  century. 

During  that  lengthened  time  it  received,  as  was  to  be  expected, 
many  modifications ;  but  the  simple  oblong  tower-house  of  three  or  four 
stories  in  height  remained  to  the  end  of  the  above  period  a  favourite 
form  of  residence,  thus  showing  that,  amongst  the  smaller  lairds  at  least, 
domestic  comforts  and  requirements  in  the  seventeenth  century  differed 
but  little  from  those  of  the  days  of  the  good  King  Robert  in  Scotland  or 
of  the  Norman  kings  in  England ! 

While  the  smaller  proprietors  rested  satisfied  with  the  restricted  ac- 
commodation supplied  by  the  keep  plan,  either  in  its  original  simple  form 
or  improved  by  the  modifications  and  enlargements  above  referred  to,  the 
higher  and  wealthier  nobles  called  for  a  larger  and  more  commanding  style 
of  residence.  By  the  fifteenth  century  the  country  had  become  somewhat 
more  settled,  and  was  beginning  to  recover  from  the  exhaustion  of  the  pre- 
vious harassing  period.  Those  who  were  able  to  afford  it  now  began  to 
look  about  them  to  see  what  improvements  might  be  introduced,  and  natu- 
rally sought  for  information  in  the  neighbouring  lands  of  France  and 
England,  where  castle  building  had  made  so  much  greater  progress.  The 
result  was  that  an  arrangement  similar  to  that  above  mentioned  as  having 
been  adopted  in  those  countries  at  a  much  earlier  date  now  found  its  way 
into  Scotland.  This  consisted  of  the  erection  of  numerous  halls  and  apart- 
ments round  a  central  courtyard.  These  halls  and  apartments  were  first 
introduced  into  the  French  and  English  castles  as  independent  structures, 
each  being  constructed  of  the  form  and  size  required,  and  they  were  placed 
round  the  inside  of  the  wall  of  enceinte  wherever  found  most  convenient, 
without  regard  to  regularity  or  unity.  Gradually,  however,  they  came  to 
be  grouped  together  and  brought  within  the  limit  of  a  well-understood 
combination — the  great  hall,  forming  the  central  object,  having  thq  kitchen, 
pantry,  and  buttery  at  the  end  next  the  entrance ;  and  the  lord's  solar  or 
*  See  Borthwick,  Balvaird,  Dundas,  Comlongan,  &c.,  Vol.  I.  pp.  350,  338,  330,  239. 


INTRODUCTION  —  22  —          OLD  CASTLES  ENLARGED 

private  room,  with  bedrooms  above  and  wine-cellar  beneath,  at  the 
upper  or  "dais"  end.  In  the  larger  and  more  magnificent  castles,  as, 
for  example,  at  Pierrefonds  and  Warwick,*  other  apartments,  such  as  a 
banqueting  hall,  a  hall  of  justice,  private  dining-rooms  and  drawing- 
rooms,  &c.,  were  afterwards  added,  and  finally  the  edifice  came  to  consist 
of  a  central  quadrangle  entirely  surrounded  with  buildings. 

In  Scotland  also  we  find  the  same  course  pursued.  Many  of  the 
castles  erected  on  this  "  courtyard  plan "  are  far  from  having  the 
accommodation  regularly  or  equally  distributed  around  the  interior  quad- 
rangle ;  but  it  is  evident  that  the  intention  has  been  to  arrange  the 
buildings  after  this  manner.  At  Doune,  Tantallon,  and  Dirleton,  for 
example,  the  quadrangle  is  (now  at  least)  far  from  being  complete ;  but 
at  Doune  it  has  clearly  been  intended  that  the  courtyard  should  be  entirely 
surrounded  with  buildings,  as  windows  are  constructed  in  the  walls  in 
anticipation  of  future  erections.  At  Tantallon,  Dirleton,  and  other  castles 
the  courtyard  was  doubtless  formerly  much  more  complete  than  we  now  find 
it.  In  the  courtyard  castles  of  the  fifteenth  century,  however,  there  occurs 
a  certain  amount  of  capriciousness  and  irregularity  in  the  arrangements 
of  the  plans,  which  is  not  observable  in  the  more  fully  developed  examples 
in  the  neighbouring  lands.  But  this  rudeness  of  disposition  is  avoided 
in  the  more  perfect  and  finished  examples  of  the  royal  palaces  at  Lin- 
lithgow  and  Stirling,  which  are  as  complete  in  their  arrangements  as  the 
castles  of  other  countries. 

Besides  the  castles  which  were  designed  from  the  first  on  the  court- 
yard plan,  many  others,  which  necessity  had  obliged  to  be  at  first 
erected  as  keeps,  were  now  extended  by  the  construction  of  halls  and 
other  buildings  round  a  courtyard — the  keep,  however,  still  being  retained 
as  the  nucleus.  Such  piles  as  Craigmillar,  Edzell,  Crichton,  &c.,  show 
how  this  was  carried  out,  and  how  the  simple  keep  of  the  days  of  distress 
in  the  fourteenth  century  became  enlarged  into  the  spacious  and  sump- 
tuous mansion  of  the  days  of  abundance  at  a  later  date. 

The  castles  above  described,  which  were  designed  as  or  extended 
into  courtyard  plans,  specially  characterise  the  third  period  of  our 
Castellated  Architecture.  They  mark  a  distinct  change  in  the  condition 
and  prospects  of  the  country  by  their  superiority  to  the  meagre  keeps 
of  the  previous  period.  They  show  that  the  epoch  of  exhaustion  and 
depression  was  passing  away,  and  that  a  certain  amount  of  ease  and 
affluence  was  returning.  Fear  of  annihilation  as  a  people,  or  of  any  new 
and  serious  attempt  at  subjugation  by  their  more  powerful  neighbour, 
was  at  an  end.  A  certain  amount  of  comfort  and  elegance  was  also  now 
attempted,  combined,  however,  always  with  an  increase  rather  than  a 
decrease  in  the  defensive  strength  of  the  works.  The  castles  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  although  sometimes  designed  with  considerable  efforts 

*  Vol.  i.  pp.  45-49. 


CASTLES  OP  THIRD  PERIOD  -23   INTRODUCTION 

at  artistic  effect,  limit  these  efforts  to  the  interior  of  the  courtyards  and 
apartments,  and  still  present,  externally,  an  aspect  as  rude  and  warlike, 
though  at  the  same  time  larger  and  more  formidable  looking  than  the 
grim  keeps  of  the  preceding  period. 

Such  edifices,  for  example,  as  Doune  and  Tantallon  have  a  much 
grander  and  more  powerful  appearance  than  any  structures  erected  in 
Scotland  since  the  days  of  Bothwell  and  Kildrummie,  while  internally 
they  show  signs  of  considerable  advancement  in  social  relations.  Thus  at 
both  the  keep  is  no  longer  merely  the  strongest  tower  of  last  resort,  but 
forms  a  large  mansion  for  the  residence  of  the  lord,  built  so  as  to  be  inde- 
pendent of,  although  connected  with,  the  rest  of  the  castle.  In  this 
respect,  as  pointed  out  in  Vol.  I.,  they  resemble  some  of  the  French  castles 
of  the  period.  The  keep  of  Doune  had  its  own  hall,  cellars,  private  rooms, 
drawing-room,  chapel,  and  bedrooms.*  The  other  portions  of  the  castle 
contained  the  banqueting  hall,  a  spacious  chamber  adorned  with  carved 
corbels  and  open  timber  roof,  and  provided  with  a  minstrel's  gallery,  all 
doubtless  being  adorned  with  paintings  and  hangings.  There  were  also 
great  kitchens  and  bakehouses,  serving  rooms  and  suites  of  guests'  apart- 
ments. But  these  portions  of  the  castle  entered  by  different  doors  and 
stairs  from  the  keep,  which  was  jealously  guarded,  and  reserved  for  the 
lord  of  the  castle  and  his  family  and  retainers  only. 

This,  the  third  period  of  our  castles,  continued  into  the  first  half  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  and  coincided  with  the  reigns  of  the  first  five  Jameses, 
terminating  about  the  time  of  the  death  of  James  v.,  which  took  place 
at  Falkland  in  1542.  It  thus  comprises  the  great  royal  castles  or  palaces 
at  Edinburgh,  Stirling,  and  Linlithgow.  The  two  latter  are  probably  the 
most  perfect  examples  we  possess  of  the  courtyard  plan  of  the  third 
period.  In  both  the  quadrangle  is  completely  surrounded  with  buildings,! 
containing  the  private  apartments  of  the  Royal  Family,  as  well  as  the 
great  hall  (large  enough  to  contain  an  occasional  meeting  of  the  Estates), 
the  chapel,  reception  rooms,  banqueting  hall,  &c. ;  thus  showing,  what  we  are 
also  assured  of  from  other  sources,  that  in  the  time  of  James  iv.  and  v. 
the  state  and  dignity  of  the  Court  were  well  upheld,  and  that  the  king 
was  again  in  a  position  to  occupy  a  becoming  place  amongst  the  rulers  of 
other  countries,  and  to  receive  and  suitably  entertain  distinguished  foreign 
guests.  During  the  reigns  of  the  Jameses  the  country  had  made  great 
progress,  and  had  recovered  a  large  part  of  her  foreign  commerce.  This 
was  carried  on  chiefly  with  the  Netherlands.  In  1400  Bruges  was  the 
centre  of  the  Scotch  trade.  In  1444  it  was  removed  to  Camp  Vere,  where 
it  continued  till  1539,  when  it  was  changed  to  Antwerp,  and,  two  years 
later,  to  Middleburgh.  The  ledger  of  Andrew  Haliburton,  who  was  "  con- 
servator of  the  privileges  of  the  Scotch  nation  "  in  the  Netherlands,  has 
been  preserved,  and  is  published  by  order  of  the  Clerk  Register.  It 
*  Vol.  i.  p.  423.  t  Vol.  I.  pp.  468,  488. 


INTRODUCTION  —   24    —       IMPROVING  STATE  OP  SCOTLAND 

extends  from  1492  to  1503.  Haliburton  resided  at  Middleburgh,  and 
acted  for  a  large  number  of  the  nobles,  clergy,  and  merchants,  who  carried 
on  business  abroad,  receiving  from  Scotland  quantities  of  wool,  rough 
cloth,  preserved  salmon  and  trouts,  hides,  furs,  large  pearls,  &c.,  and 
returning  spices,  sugar,  silks,  velvets,  grograms,  gold  thread,  wine,  &c. 
The  trade  of  the  world  was  then  concentrated  at  Antwerp,  and  Scotland 
was  thus  enabled  to  exchange  her  goods  at  headquarters. 

From  the  nature  of  the  imports  it  is  evident  that  the  country  was 
again  growing  in  wealth.  Wine  was  imported  in  considerable  quantity, 
and  the  silks  and  velvets  brought  from  abroad  were  doubtless  used  for 
the  more  sumptuous  garments  which  could  now  be  afforded.  The  clergy 
ordered  chalices,  altar-cloths,  and  other  church  furnishings ;  but  there  is 
no  indication  of  any  of  the  paintings  for  which  the  Low  Countries  were 
then  famous  being  in  demand,  or  that  artists  were  brought  over  to  embel- 
lish the  edifices.  Hangings,  however,  are  mentioned,  and  were  doubtless 
employed  for  the  adornment  of  the  walls  of  the  principal  apartments  of 
the  castles  and  mansions.  Thus  it  happened  to  "  Squyer  Meldrum,"  *  when  he 

"  went  to  repois, 

He  fand  his  chalmer  weill  arrayit 
With  dornik  work  t  on  buird  displayit." 

Literature  and  poetry  had  now  also  revived,  showing  that  the  people 
had  a  certain  amount  of  the  leisure  and  refinement  necessary  for  such 
pursuits.  The  exploits  of  the  great  war  were  told  by  Barbour  in  The 
Bruce  in  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century,  and  by  Blind  Harry  in  his 
Wallace  a  century  later.  Fordun  and  Wintoun  wrote  The  Chronicles  of 
the  country,  and  amongst  the  poets  were  James  I.,  James  v.,  Henrysone, 
Dunbar,  Montgomery,  Gavin  Douglas,  and  Sir  David  Lindsay.  Printing, 
too,  was  introduced  early  in  the  sixteenth  century  by  Walter  Chepman, 
and  encouraged  by  James  iv. 

The  general  advancement  made  during  the  period  under  consideration 
is  further  evidenced  by  the  revival  of  Ecclesiastical  Architecture  at  the 
time.  We  have  seen  how  the  great  church  building  epoch  was  suddenly 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  invasion  of  Edward  I.,  and  that  few  churches  of 
importance  had  been  erected  during  the  period  of  exhaustion  in  the  four- 
teenth century.  In  the  fifteenth  century,  however,  church  building  to  a 
certain  extent  revived.  But  it  was  no  longer  an  affair  of  the  nation ;  the 
popular  voice  and  the  national  funds  did  not  now  run  in  the  direction  of 
building  cathedrals  and  monasteries.  The  efforts  towards  the  erection  of 
religious  structures  were  much  more  modest,  and  for  the  most  part  private. 
Monks  from  abroad  were  not  now  needed  to  reclaim  the  land  and  instruct 
in  agriculture;  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  they  could  have  been  found  in 
those  degenerate  days  even  if  wanted.  Proprietors  were  now  content  to 
*  Sir  David  Lindsay's  Poems.  t  Damask  stuff  used  for  hangings. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ARCHITECTURE          -    25   -  INTRODUCTION 

raise  chapels  on  their  estates,  and  endow  them  sufficiently  to  main- 
tain a  proper  service  in  them.  Hence  arose  a  very  interesting  group 
of  collegiate  churches,  each  served  by  a  "college,"  or  fixed  number  of 
priests  and  choristers,  whose  stipends  were  paid  out  of  the  endowments. 

Probably  the  finest  of  these  collegiate  churches  was  the  Trinity  College 
Kirk  of  Edinburgh,  founded  in  1462  by  Mary  of  Gueldres,  queen  of 
James  u.  St.  Giles',  Edinburgh,  originally  the  parish  church,  was  burned 
by  the  English,  and  was  restored  and  made  collegiate  in  the  fifteenth 
century.  St.  Michael's,  Linlithgow,  a  large  church  rebuilt  after  a  fire  in 
the  fifteenth  century ;  St.  Salvador's  and  St.  Leonard's,  at  St.  Andrews ; 
King's  College,  Old  Aberdeen;  St.  Nicholas,  New  Aberdeen;  Corstorphine, 
Crichton,  Dalkeith,  Dunglass,  Restalrig,  Rosslyn,  Torphichen,  Midcalder, 
Seton,  in  Lothian ;  Lincluden  in  Dumfries ;  Biggar,  Bothwell,  Carnwath, 
in  Lanarkshire ;  Maybole  in  Ayrshire ;  St.  Duthac's  in  Ross-shire,  still 
remain  in  whole  or  in  part  to  testify  to  the  architectural  taste  and  activity 
of  the  fifteenth  and  early  years  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

In  the  Norman  and  first  Pointed  periods  of  our  Ecclesiastical  Archi- 
tecture there  was,  as  we  have  already  seen,  a  strong  affinity  with  the 
corresponding  styles  in  England,  but  after  the  great  war  the  connection 
with  England  was  broken  and  the  commercial  relations  and  artistic 
tendencies  of  Scotland  from  that  time  have  a  leaning  towards  Continental 
alliance  and  taste.  This  was  only  natural  when  we  consider  the  intimate 
political  connection  between  France  and  Scotland  in  the  time  of  the 
Jameses,  and  the  friendship  produced  by  the  valuable  assistance  rendered 
by  each  country  to  the  other  in  their  union  against  the  common  foe. 
Many  foreign  features  thus  came,  through  intercourse  with  France  and 
the  Netherlands,  to  be  introduced  into  the  above  edifices — such  as  the 
apsidal  termination  of  the  choir  which  occurs  in  several  of  the  collegiate 
churches,  and  the  flamboyant  character  of  the  tracery.  The  almost 
total  absence  of  the  Perpendicular  or  Tudor  style  of  England  is  very 
marked  and  extraordinary,  and  shows  how  little  sympathy  there  was 
between  the  countries  in  the  days  of  Henry  vn.  and  vm.  The  Ecclesiasti- 
cal and  Castellated  styles  now  become  more  mixed  up  with  one  another 
than  formerly.  In  Linlithgow  Palace,  for  example,  many  of  the  features 
have  an  ecclesiastical  character.  Not  to  mention  the  niches  in  the 
chapel,  where  such  a  style  would  naturally  be  expected,  reference  may 
be  made  to  the  great  entrance  gateway  from  the  east,*  and  to  the  scrolls 
and  figures  over  the  inner  archways  in  the  east  and  south  walls  of  the 
courtyard,  f  The  carvings  at  Borthwick,  Bothwell  (the  later  portion), 
and  Dirleton,  and  the  niched  buttresses  at  Falkland  J  all  show  the  same 
tendency. 

On  the  other  hand  we  find  some  important  features  of  castellated 
architecture  introduced  into  the  churches.     The  most  prominent  of  these 
*  Vol.  i.  p.  481.  t  Vol.  i.  pp.  483,  491.  t  Vol.  I.  p.  498. 


INTRODUCTION 


STYLE  OF  CHURCHES 


FIG.  1. — Dunglass  Collegiate  Church,  looking  West. 


FEUDALISM  IN  SCOTLAND 


—  27  — 


INTRODUCTION 


is  the  style  of  the  vaulting,  which  in  almost  every  one  of  the  collegiate 
churches  is  more  or  less  of  the  waggon  form  so  universal  in  the  castles. 
In  most  instances  the  plain  barrel  vault,  usually  pointed,  is  employed 
and  sustains  a  roof  formed  of  overlapping  flagstones,  similar  to  that  used 
in  the  castles  from  an  early  period.  The  annexed  interior  and  exterior 
views  of  Dunglass  Church,  Haddingtonshire  (Figs.  1  and  2),  will  serve 
to  make  this  clear.  In  other  churches  (such  as  St.  Mirren's  Aisle, 
Paisley,  Seton  Chapel,  and  parts  of  St.  Giles',  Edinburgh)  the  barrel  form 
is  to  a  certain  extent  concealed  and  is  ornamented  with  ribs.  These 
follow  the  curve  of  the  waggon  vault,  and  are  generally  not  constructive, 
but  purely  decorative.  In  castles  also  this  form  of  vaulting  was  adopted, 


FIG.  2. — Dunglass  Collegiate  Church,  from  North-East. 

as,  for  example,  in  the  great  hall  of  Dundonakl*  The  most  remarkable 
instance  of  the  peculiar  waggon  vaulting  of  the  fifteenth  century  is  that 
at  Rosslyn  Chapel,  where  the  barrel  form  of  the  vault  is  acknowledged 
and  emphasised  with  surface  ornament,!  and  is  preserved  even  on  the 
exterior,  the  outer  surface  being  curved  like  the  interior.  This  is  not 
covered,  as  is  usually  the  case,  with  flagstones,  but  forms  the  exterior 
of  the  roof.  That  this  was  the  original  intention  is  apparent  from  the 
fact  that  the  gable  end  is  curved  to  correspond  with  the  arched  shape 
of  the  roof.  / 

Towers  finished  with  corbelled  and  crenellated  parapets  like  that  of 
*  Vol.  i.  p.  173.  t  An  excellent  view  of  this  is  given  by  Billings. 


INTRODUCTION 


—  28 


CASTLES  OF  HIGHEST  PERIOD 


Dunfermline  (Fig.  3),  some  having  also  corbelled  bartizans  at  the  angles, 

such  as  Dunblane  (Fig.  4),  buttresses 
terminated  with  sun-dials,  as  at  Cor- 
storphine  (Fig.  5),  crow-stepped  gables 
and  similar  features,  show  the  en- 
croachments made  at  this  time  by 
the  Domestic  on  the  Church  archi- 
tecture of  the  third  period.  In  the 
following  period  we  shall  find  that 
this  tendency  went  on  increasing,  till 
our  churches  became,  so  far  as  archi- 
tectural style  is  concerned,  scarcely 
distinguishable  from  our  domestic 
structures. 

The  period  we  have  just  been  con- 
sidering is  that  in  which  feudalism 
in  Scotland  reached  its  highest  de- 
velopment. We  have  seen  how,  in 
the  first  period,  the  civilisation  and 
manners  of  the  South  had  been  intro- 
duced by  the  Norman  and  Saxon  re- 
fugees, and  how  the  country  had  thus 
become  familiarised  with  the  feudal 
customs  and  chivalry  of  the  rest  of 
Europe.  But  the  development  of  these 

FIG.  3. -Dunfermline  Abbey.     Western  Tower,    institutions  had   been   checked   by  the 

long  wars  of  the  fourteenth  century ;  and  it  was  only  now,  when  the  country 
had  re-established  its  position  and  obtained  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  repose  and  prosperity,  that  the 
feudalism  and  chivalry  of  the  Middle  Ages  had 
an  opportunity  of  exhibiting  themselves  in  their 
full  development  and  vigour.  In  Scotland,  as  in 
other  countries,  the  feudal  system  led  to  the  undue 
increase  of  the  power  of  the  nobles,  and  to  constant 
efforts  on  their  part  to  vie  with  one  another  and 
with  royalty.  The  great  predominance  and  influ- 
ence of  the  Douglases,  with  their  immense  territorial 
possessions;  the  rise  and  prominence  of  the  Living- 
stons, Crichtons,  and  Boyds,  from  intrigues  con- 
nected with  the  guardianship  of  the  young  kings 
during  their  minority ;  the  pretensions  and  disputes 
of  the  great  feudal  vassals  in  their  different  counties 
— are  the  events  which  constitute  the  history  of 
this  strange  and  picturesque  period  in  our  annals.  FlG>  4._.Dunblane  cathedral. 

Tower. 


OF  CHIVALRY  IN  SCOTLAND 


—   29   — 


INTRODUCTION 


FIG.  5. — Corstorphine  Church. 


It  was  in  the  midst  of  this  feudal  life  and  spirit  that  we  might  naturally 

look  for  the  full  development  of  the  mediaeval  castle — ttya,t  combination 

of  the  fortress  and  the  palace — which,  as  we 

have  seen,*  had  attained  to  such  perfection 

in  France  and  England  somewhat  before  this 

time.       And    specimens    of    this   pride   and 

dignity  of  feudalism  are  not  wanting  here. 

The  great  Castle  of  Tantallon  represents  the 

power  of  Angus,  the  head  of  the  younger 

branch  of  the  Douglases ;  Edzell,  that  of  the 

Lindsays ;   the    Dean,    that   of    the   Boyds ; 

Crichton    Castle,    that    of    the    Crichtons ; 

Dunnottar,    that    of    the   Earls    Marischal. 

The  state  and  strength  of  the  feudal  Church 

also  is  well  maintained  in  such  structures 

as  Arbroath  and   Dunfermline  Abbeys,  the 

Bishops'   Palaces   at    Spynie  and   Kirkwall, 

and  the  Castle  of  the  Primate  at  St.  Andrews. 

These  structures  reveal  to  us,  and  picture  vividly  to  the  mind,  a  state 
of  life  and  society  so  different  from  our  own,  and  so  full  of  the  picturesque- 
ness  of  mediaeval  times,  that  we  are  inclined  to  linger  over  it  and  dwell 
upon  its  peculiarities,  as  we  would  upon  those  of  a  foreign  country  we  are 
visiting.  We  feel  in  a  new  element,  and  stop  to  enjoy  the  novelty  and 
variety  of  the  surroundings. 

The  feudal  pomp  and  state  of  the  king  as  he  moved  from  one  palace 
to  another,  surrounded  by  a  brilliant  Court  and  attended  by  all  the  dis- 
tinguished of  the  kingdom,  lay  and  ecclesiastic,  as  his  ministers  and 
servants,  and  encouraging  by  his  patronage  the  poets,  artists,  and 
musicians  of  the  day ;  the  great  barons  in  their  several  castles  repeat- 
ing on  a  variety  of  scales  the  same  display,  sometimes  equalling,  if  not 
exceeding,  that  of  royalty  in  magnificence;  the  bishops  and  abbots,  in 
their  fortified  palaces  and  monasteries,  vying  with  the  nobles  in  the 
splendour  of  their  retinues  and  the  number  of  their  armed  followers; 
and  every  smaller  proprietor  endeavouring  to  maintain  in  his  tower  of 
fence,  with  a  few  retainers,  an  independent  state — all  completely  fortified 
and  in  a  constant  position  of  watchfulness  and  armed  neutrality  or  actual 
warfare ;  the  innumerable  feuds  and  constant  clash  of  arms  ;  the  frequent 
movement  of  bodies  of  steel-clad  troops,  or  the  swift  passage  of  the  solitary 
armed  messenger — present  a  picture  as  widely  different  from  that  of  modern 
times  as  it  is  possible  to  conceive. 

But  shortly  after  the  death  of  James  v.,  by  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  a  change  in  the  conditions  and  relations  of  the  various  elements 
of  society  began  to  manifest  itself,  the  result  of  which  became  apparent  in 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  44. 


INTRODUCTION  -   30   -  CHANGE  OP  CONDITIONS 

the  establishment  of  the  Reformation  and  the  introduction  of  modern  ideas 
and  modes  of  life. 

The  unsettled  condition  of  the  country  during  the  minority  and  reign 
of  Queen  Mary,  the  troubles  of  the  Reformation,  and  the  disputes  with 
England  under  Henry  vin.  were  very  unfavourable  for  the  progress  of 
architecture,  and  tended  rather  to  the  destruction  than  the  development 
of  our  buildings,  whether  civil  or  ecclesiastical.  The  ruthless  invasions  of 
Hertford  and  Somerset  in  1544  and  1547  were  especially  severe  on  the 
castles,  churches,  and  every  kind  of  property  in  the  south-eastern  district. 
Amidst  all  the  strifes,  however,  of  that  agitating  period  the  country 
generally  was  progressing,  education  was  advancing,  manners  were  soften- 
ing, the  towns  were  growing  in  importance,  and  the  voice  of  the  people 
was  making  itself  heard,  as  was  particularly  apparent  in  the  popular 
manner  in  which  the  Reformation  was  adopted  and  maintained.  Agricul- 
ture was  improving  and  business  was  spreading ;  and  when  the  compara- 
tively quiet  reign  of  James  vi.  succeeded,  a  remarkable  tide  of  prosperity 
displayed  itself.  Not  only  were  the  landed  proprietors,  who  had  obtained 
large  accessions  to  their  incomes  by  the  secularisation  of  the  church  lands, 
enabled  to  build  themselves  splendid  mansions,  both  on  their  estates  and 
in  the  towns,  but  the  merchants  and  citizens  now  also  found  themselves  in 
a  position  to  maintain  town  mansions  and  warehouses  of  some  pretensions ; 
while  the  humbler  members  of  the  merchant  guilds  could  also  afford  to 
erect  substantial  dwellings  and  shops  of  masonry,  some  of  which  have 
survived  to  our  own  time. 

The  period  of  the  power  and  supremacy  of  the  feudal  barons  was  now 
passing  away.  The  king  and  the  commons  were  gradually  gaining  the 
ascendancy,  and  the  importance  of  the  feudal  castle  and  the  monastic 
rule  was  in  the  decline.  The  merchants  and  craftsmen  of  the  towns 
were  now  independent  of  them.  The  education  and  training  of  the 
people  enabled  them  to  carry  on  their  business  without  the  protection 
of  a  feudal  superior,  and  the  craftsmen  and  traders  who  formerly  clustered 
round  the  baron's  castle  or  the  abbot's  gate  now  prosecuted  their  affairs 
under  the  shelter  and  privileges  of  the  towns  and  guilds.  The  castle 
and  the  hall  declined  and  the  towns  prospered.  The  barons  no  longer 
erected  huge  walls  of  enceinte  for  defence,  and  great  halls  for  the 
entertainment  of  numerous  retainers  and  visitors.  Their  castles  became 
mansions  for  the  private  occupation  of  themselves  and  their  families, 
and  were  constructed  of  suitable  size  and  arrangements  for  that 
purpose. 

But  the  country  was  not  yet  free  from  feuds,  and  many  bloody  scenes 
disgraced  the  reign  of  James  vi.  "Wars  of  religion  and  private  quarrels 
still  created  some  disturbance,  and  it  was  necessary  that  every  man's 
house  should  still  be  his  "  castle,"  in  the  sense  of  being  strong  enough  to 
resist  such  sudden  onslaughts  as  might  yet  be  expected.  Hence  there 


AND  STYLE  AT  REFORMATION  -    31    —  INTRODUCTION 

arose  in  the  country  those  numerous  structures  generally  dignified  with 
the  name  of  "castles,"  which  are  in  fact  only  the  private  mansions  of  the 
nobles  and  landed  proprietors,  but  retain  so  many  of  the  defensive  features 
of  the  days  of  feudal  power  and  chivalry  as  give  them  that  picturesque 
and  unique  character  for  which  our  Scottish  "  chateaux  "  of  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century  are  so  remarkable.  In  France  and  England  a 
similar  period  had  been  passed  through,  but  it  had  occurred  at  an  earlier 
time.  Although,  therefore,  a  corresponding  mixture  of  domestic  and 
military  elements  may  be  observed  in  the  mansions  of  these  countries, 
yet,  as  the  transition  did  not  take  place  at  the  same  date  as  in  Scotland, 
it  is  somewhat  different  in  style  and  character.  In  the  former  countries 
the  passage  from  the  warlike  castle  to  the  peaceful  mansion  took  place 
while  the  style  was  still  Gothic,  and  gave  rise  to  the  beautiful  chateaux  of 
the  time  of  Louis  xi.  and  xn.  and  Francis  i.  in  France,  and  of  the  Tudors 
in  England.  By  the  time  of  James  vi.  the  mansions  in  those  countries 
were  almost  entirely  free  from  warlike  features,  and  the  well-known 
dwellings  of  the  Elizabethan  period  were  about  as  complete  in  domestic 
arrangements  and  innocent  of  defensive  elements  as  the  country  houses  of 
the  present  day. 

But  in  Scotland  the  change  was  later  in  coming,  and  we  thus  find  that 
the  corbellings  and  turrets  of  the  Castellated  style  continued  to  be  employed 
along  with  the  Renaissance  elements  which  at  the  same  time  were  gradu- 
ally growing  up  here.  The  result  is  a  blending  of  Scotch  Castellated  and 
Renaissance  features  quite  different  in  style  from  the  mixture  of  defensive 
elements  with  the  late  Gothic  details,  which  is  found  in  other  parts  of 
Europe.  This  forms  one  of  the  great  charms  of  the  Scottish  style,  and  gives 
it  that  unique  and  distinctive  character  which  renders  it  so  striking  and 
attractive.  This,  too,  constitutes  a  positive  refutation  of  the  theory  which 
assumes  that  the  Scottish  architecture  of  this  period  is  all  borrowed  from 
France — on  which  enough  has  already  been  said  in  a  previous  volume.* 
In  the  Elizabethan  Architecture  of  England,  and  in  the  domestic  work  of 
the  Continent  in  the  sixteenth  century,  a  considerable  amount  of  timber 
construction  was  employed,  and  everywhere  picturesque  examples  are  to 
be  met  with  of  the  overhanging  and  trussed  and  framed  structures  thus 
produced.  In  Scotland,  too,  a  great  deal  of  this  sort  of  work  was  em- 
ployed, particularly  in  the  towns,  where  the  traditional  wooden  construc- 
tion of  the  houses  rendered  its  adoption  easy  and  natural.  A  few  of  these 
interesting  relics  of  our  municipal  edifices  still  survive,  and  drawings  of 
many  remarkable  examples  now  gone  are  preserved  in  the  fine  work  of 
the  late  James  Drummond,  R.S.A.,  on  Old  Edinburgh. 

In  the  following  volume  are  given  some  of  the  few  specimens  of  our 
town  houses  still  remaining,  and  attention  is  directed  to  these  as  examples 
of  the  corbelled  and  projected  fronts  which  (as  elsewhere  pointed  out  f)  we 
*  Vol.  ii.  pp.  12-14.  t  Vol.  ii.  p.  10. 


INTRODUCTION  —    32    -  HOUSES  IN  TOWNS 

believe  to  be  the  original  motive  or  idea  on  which  the  large  amount  of 
stone  corbelling,  so  distinctive  of  our  Scottish  buildings  of  the  fourth 
period,  is  founded. 

In  the  introduction  to  the  fourth  period*  it  has  been  shown  how  the 
various  circumstances  of  the  time  combined  to  produce  the  characteristics 
of  our  latest  style.  The  gradual  encroachments  of  the  Renaissance  modi- 
fied, as  above  mentioned,  the  aspect  of  the  transition  from  fortified  to 
peaceful  design.  The  invention  and  use  of  artillery  rendering  the  mediaeval 
fortress  untenable,  served,  along  with  the  social  changes  we  have  alluded 
to,  to  hasten  the  fall  of  the  "  castle,"  and  the  substitution  of  the  "  mansion  " 
instead.  The  Reformation  supplied  funds  to  the  landowners  (from  the 
secularised  church  properties)  with  which  to  build  and  decorate  their 
houses ;  and  the  union  of  the  Scottish  with  the  English  Crown  brought 
about  closer  relations  between  the  countries,  and  led  to  the  improvement 
of  manners  and  the  assimilation  of  the  conditions  of  life  in  the  North  to 
those  of  the  more  advanced  and  cultivated  South.  All  these  changes  in 
the  social  condition  of  the  country  could  not  fail  to  produce  a  strong  effect 
on  the  buildings  of  the  period.  We  have  already  seen  how  the  domestic 
elements  were  superseding  the  military,  and  the  idea  of  comfort  and  ease 
was  overcoming  that  of  strength  and  security.  This  is  distinctly  observ- 
able in  the  plans  of  the  mansions.  The  "courtyard  plan,"  which  was 
rudely  begun  in  the  third  period,  and  was  only  carried  out  with  anything 
like  regularity  in  the  royal  palaces  of  Linlithgow  and  Stirling,  was  now 
adopted  in  many  of  the  mansions  throughout  the  country.  At  first  it 
was  applied  in  a  somewhat  crude  and  tentative  manner  (as  at  Tolquhan, 
Dunnottar,  Stobhall,  &c.) ;  but  in  later  examples,  such  as  Heriot's 
Hospital,  Argyll's  Lodging,  Stirling,  Caroline  Park,  and  Drumlanrig, 
the  quadrangle  is  designed  with  the  buildings  arranged  around  it  in 
perfect  order  and  strict  symmetry.  In  the  larger  mansions,  too,  like 
Drumlanrig,  the  accommodation  provided  is  very  abundant,  so  much  so 
that  the  latter  still  serves  as  the  residence  of  one  of  the  principal  nobles 
of  Scotland. 

The  old  "  hall,"  with  its  numerous  and  miscellaneous  occupants,  was 
now  converted  into  the  modern  dining-room,  and  the  other  apartments 
also  assumed  a  modern  guise.  Drawing-rooms,  galleries,  libraries,  boudoirs, 
parlours,  and  private  suites  of  apartments  were  distributed  round  the 
courtyard,  and  all  the  arrangements  of  modern  life  gradually  superseded 
the  older  forms.  Of  these  changes  the  plans  of  Holy  rood  Palace  (to  be 
given  in  the  following  pages),  and  of  Dunnottar,  Drumlanrig,  and  Caroline 
Park,f  give  good  illustrations.  Seton  Palace,  near  Tranent,  was  probably 
the  most  sumptuous  example  of  the  Domestic  style  of  the  fourth  period, 
both  as  regards  its  arrangements  and  design.  It  has  unfortunately  been 
completely  swept  away ;  but  from  what  remains  of  the  beautiful  work, 
*  Vol.  n.  p.  1.  t  Vol.  i.  p.  562 ;  n.  446,  453. 


PLANS   OP   THE    4rTH    PERIOD  33    INTRODUCTION 

both  internal  and  external,  at  Winton  House,*  built  by  the  same  family 
and  about  the  same  time,  we  may  form  a  fair  idea  of  the  magnificence  of 
its  greater  contemporary. 

The  above  remarks  on  the  improvement  in  accommodation  and  disuse 
of  defensive  features  apply  of  course  to  mansion  houses,  which  henceforth 
occupy  a  different  position  and  are  entirely  separate  from  the  castles. 
The  latter,  such  as  Edinburgh,  Stirling,  Dunbar,  Tantallon,  and  Dumbar- 
ton, were  now  regarded  as  national  fortresses,  to  be  held  and  maintained 
by  the  Crown  for  the  defence  of  the  country.  Private  mansions  were  no 
longer  considered  "  castles  "  in  the  old  sense,  although  still  built  sufficiently 
strong  to  resist  a  sudden  raid ;  but  they  generally  still  retained  the  name 
simply  as  a  title  of  courtesy. 

The  numerous  mansions  erected  in  the  fourth  period  present  us,  how- 
ever, with  other  plans  besides  that  of  the  quadrangle.  As  in  the  third 
period,  the  traditional  plans  of  the  previous  period  are  still  retained,  many 
houses  being  erected  both  on  the  simple  keep  and  on  the  L  plan.  But 
these  generally  present  certain  slight  modifications,  which  serve  to  show 
that  the  work  is  late  in  date.  The  simple  keep — such,  for  example,  as 
Amisfieldf — although  quite  a  plain  oblong  on  plan,  is  carried  up  with  so 
remarkable  a  variety  of  corbelled  turrets,  ornamental  dormers,  and  pointed 
gables  and  chimneys,  that  the  original  simplicity  of  the  plan  is  lost  sight  of. 
The  L  plan  also  has  the  plain  outline  occasionally  broken,  as  at  Craigievar,  J 
with  a  number  of  small  projections  on  which  turrets  are  corbelled  out, 
while  the  parapet  and  upper  story  are  surmounted  with  that  picturesque 
variety  of  turret  and  gable  which  render  the  style  so  attractive  and  so 
unique  and  unmistakable.  But  with  all  these  ornamental  details  a  certain 
number  of  defensive  elements  are  still  preserved,  as  necessary  amidst  the 
jealousies  and  petty  feuds  of  the  period.  Thus,  the  angle  turrets,  which 
at  that  time  had  come  to  be  used  as  small  closets  or  dressing-rooms,  enter- 
ing off  the  rooms,  were  provided  with  shot-holes  in  the  floor,  and  might  be 
made  available  by  lifting  a  small  trap-door.  Very  frequently  shot-holes 
are  also  pierced  under  the  window-sills,  and  the  vaulted  basement  is  sup- 
plied with  similar  apertures,  one  or  more  being  always  placed  so  as  to 
command  the  entrance  door.  Firearms  being  now  in  common  use,  these 
shot-holes  are  generally  small  apertures,  just  sufficient  to  allow  the  muzzle 
of  a  gun  to  pass  through.  . 

The  introduction  of  firearms  had  the  further  effect  of  producing  a  new 
form  of  plan  in  many  of  the  Scottish  mansions  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
This  was  a  novel  modification  of  the  keep.  Instead  of  having  one  square 
wing,  like  that  of  the  L  plan,  placed  at  one  of  the  angles  of  the  oblong 
block,  the  new  plan  has  a  round  or  square  tower  placed  at  two  of  the 
diagonally  opposite  angles,  thus  producing  a  zigzag  figure,  which  we  have 
designated  the  "  Z  plan." 

*  Vol.  n.  p.  520.  t  Vol.  ii.  p.  20.  J  Vol.  n.  p.  106. 

C 


INTRODUCTION  34   THE  Z,  E,  AND  T  PLANS 

This  design  well  meets  the  various  requirements  of  the  period  by 
enabling  each  face  of  the  main-block  to  be  defended  with  shot-holes  in 
the  angle  towers,  and  also  by  providing  a  considerable  amount  of  addi- 
tional accommodation  in  the  second  wing  or  tower. 

A  large  number  of  country  houses  were  erected  on  this  plan,  some 
of  them,  such  as  Terpersie,*  being  quite  small,  but  furnished  with  a 
great  many  little  chambers  in  the  two  wings ;  others,  such  as  Castle 
Fraser,f  of  considerable  size,  but  with  similar  arrangements  on  a  much 
larger  scale.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  as  the  "  mansion  "  took  the  place 
of  the  house  of  fence,  the  Z  plan  gradually  gave  place  to  the  L  and 
other  more  peaceful  and  convenient  arrangements  of  the  apartments. 
These  various  modifications  of  the  keep  plan  continued  to  be  erected 
till  far  on  in  the  seventeenth  century.  In  some  are  found  only  the 
simplest  elements  of  the  original  keep — the  plain  three-storied  square 
tower ;  others  have  a  kitchen  and  a  few  bedrooms  in  the  single  wing  of 
the  L  plan,  or  a  larger  number  of  chambers  in  the  two  wings  of  the 
Z  plan.  It  is  thus  seen  that,  although  a  few  proprietors  remain  satis- 
fied in  the  seventeeth  century  with  the  primitive  accommodation  of  the 
time  of  Bruce,  still  a  great  advance  in  manners  and  mode  of  living  has 
evidently  been  made  on  the  whole.  This  is  specially  noticeable  in  the 
efforts  made,  and  the  expedients  adopted  in  most  of  the  smaller 
mansions,  to  supply  the  number  of  private  rooms  now  universally 
demanded. 

These  efforts  naturally  produced  further  variations  of  the  traditional 
plans,  so  that  in  the  seventeenth  century  we  find  not  only  simple  keeps 
and  L  and  Z  plans,  but  other  modifications  of  the  keep  which  require 
two  additional  letters  of  the  alphabet  to  distinguish  them,  and  which 
we  accordingly  designate  the  E  and  T  plans. 

The  first  consists,  as  before,  of  the  main  oblong  building,  with  two 
wings  or  towers  attached  to  it,  but,  instead  of  being  placed  at  the 
diagonally  opposite  corners  as  in  the  Z  plan,  they  are  both  projected 
from  one  side.  The  object  of  this  arrangement  probably  was  to  produce 
a  symmetrical  design,  a  desire  for  symmetry  being  now  a  marked  feature 
in  the  architecture  of  the  period,  and  considered  of  more  importance  than 
the  superior  power  for  defence  of  the  Z  plan.  Of  this  arrangement 
Pitreavie  and  MagdalensJ  are  good  examples,  and  others  will  be  found 
in  the  following  volumes.  It  will  be  observed  that  in  Cowan's  Hospital, 
Stirling,  the  resemblance  of  the  plan  to  the  letter  E  is  completed  by  the 
projection  of  the  central  tower  containing  the  entrance  doorway. 

The  T  plan  has  also  the  old  oblong  block  for  its  main  body,  but  it 

is  lengthened  so  as  to  form  two  apartments,  and  a  tower  is  placed  on 

one   side   (generally   about   the   middle),    which    contains    the    entrance 

doorway  and  a  staircase  arranged  so  as  to  provide  a  separate  access  to 

*  Vol.  n.  p.  205.  f  Vol.  ii.  p.  229,  £  Vol.  n.  pp.  543,  546, 


MODERN    REQUIREMENTS  —    35    -  INTRODUCTION 

each  of  the  two  rooms  on  every  floor.  This  is  evidently  a  step  in  the 
direction  of  the  open  dwelling-house,  as  compared  with  the  defensible 
tower.*  Other  modifications  of  the  traditional  plans  will  be  noticed 
as  we  proceed ;  but  in  course  of  time  these,  too,  were  gradually  departed 
from,  and  double  blocks,  having  central  passages  with  rooms  on  each 
side,  which  were  necessarily  lighted  from  windows  on  one  side  only,  as 
in  modern  houses,  were  adopted. 

As  the  circumstances  and  causes  which  had  given  rise  to  the  keep 
plan  and  its  various  modifications  changed  and  ceased  to  operate,  so  the 
expedients  required  to  meet  the  defensive  requirements  of  the  different 
periods  gradually  disappeared,  and  only  the  arrangements  available  for 
modern  open  intercourse  survived.  Thus  the  Z  plan  was  soon  abandoned, 
while  the  L  plan,  the  T  plan,  and  the  courtyard  plan  have  continued  in 
use  till  modern  times. 

Improvements  in  the  interior  arrangements  and  designs  were  soon 
introduced.  Almost  all  the  houses  designed  on  the  above  plans  were 
now  provided  with  a  wide  wheel  staircase  leading  up  to  the  first  or  hall 
floor,  and  sometimes  rising  as  high  as  the  second  floor,  of  which  the 
finest  example  occurs  at  Fyvie  (Vol.  II.  p.  351).  Numerous  turret  stairs 
were  likewise  introduced  to  give  private  access  to  the  separate  bedrooms, 
so  as  to  avoid  having  to  pass  through  one  room  in  order  to  reach  another. 
In  the  earlier  houses  of  this,  as  of  the  previous  periods,  the  principal 
apartments  are  invariably  placed  upon  the  first  floor,  the  ground  floor 
being  vaulted  and  utilised  as  cellars  and  stores.  Encroachments  were 
now  gradually  made  upon  this  arrangement,  and  the  domain  of  the  cellars 
was  invaded,  first  by  the  kitchen  and  its  offices,  and  finally,  in  consequence 
of  the  demand  for  increased  accommodation,  by  the  living  rooms  of  the 
house.  Thus  we  find  at  Argyll's  Lodging  in  Stirling,!  Magdalens  House, 
and  elsewhere,  the  hall  and  other  apartments  are  placed  upon  the  ground 
floor,  and  the  cellars  are  greatly  curtailed  in  extent.  This  formed  another 
step  towards  modern  arrangements. 

Before  the  basement  floor  came  to  be  thus  interfered  with,  it  was 
almost  an  invariable  practice  to  set  apart  one  of  the  cellars  as  a  wine 
and  spirit  store ;  and  in  order  to  enable  the  proprietors  of  the  house  to 
maintain  complete  control  over  this  cellar,  a  small  stair  was  always 
constructed  in  the  thickness  of  one  of  the  walls,  leading  to  it  from  the 
hall.  Supplies  could  thus  be  brought  from  the  cellar  to  the  hall  under 
the  master's  eye  without  the  necessity  of  opening  the  principal  cellar 
door  or  of  admitting  any  one  without  proper  authority.  These  wine 
cellars  with  their  small  private  stairs  communicating  with  the  hall  are 
visible  in  almost  every  plan,  whatever  the  size  of  the  castle  or  mansion, 

*  See  Gardyne,  Megginch,  Cardarroch,  in  Vol.  n.,  and  numerous  examples  in 
the  succeeding  pages. 

t  Vol.  n.  pp.  417,  545. 


INTRODUCTION  36  —  ENGLISH  INFLUENCE 

till  towards  the  close  of  the  fourth  period,  when  the  cellars  were  done 
away  with  and  the  space  occupied  by  them  was  devoted  to  family 
apartments.  The  cellars  and  store-rooms  were  no  longer  required  for 
victualling  the  castle  or  mansion,  as  the  days  when  it  might  be  called  on 
to  stand  a  siege  were  now  over. 

The  "  keep  "  mansions  of  all  the  above  varieties  of  plan  were  carried 
to  a  great  height  as  a  simple  method  of  supplying  additional  rooms.  The 
turrets  were  frequently  enlarged  so  as  to  form  small  apartments,  while  in 
some  instances,  such  as  Earl  Patrick's  palace  at  Kirkwall,  they  are  so 
designed  that  they  may  be  almost  regarded  as  angle  bow  windows. 
Indeed,  had  the  Renaissance  and  the  English  influence  not  supervened, 
it  seems  from  the  above  and  similar  designs  of  the  period  that  Scottish 
architecture  would  have  worked  into  a  characteristic  domestic  style  in 
which  most  of  its  picturesque  features  would  have  been  preserved,  while 
its  rude  and  warlike  elements  would  have  been  gradually  dropped.  Even 
as  events  -turned  out  a  considerable  step  was  made  in  this  direction,  and 
in  mansions  such  as  Argyll's  Lodging,  Stirling ;  Kelly  Castle,  Fifeshire ; 
Auchans,  Ayrshire;  Fountainhall,  Midlothian,  and  many  others,  we  see 
indications  of  what  the  style  might  have  come  to,  when  simplified  and 
domesticated.* 

The  growing  taste  and  softening  of  manners  are  further  marked  by 
the  improvement  in  the  comfort  and  adornment  of  the  interiors.  At 
Huntly  Castle  we  have  bow  windows  after  the  English  pattern,  a  new 
feature  in  Scotland.  At  Earl's  Hall,  Crathes,  and  Pinkie,  long  galleries 
with  decorated  ceilings,  also  imitated  from  the  English  mansion,  are  intro- 
duced, and  in  almost  all,  as  the  seventeenth  century  advanced,  the  walls 
are  finished  with  wooden  panellings,  relieved  with  pilasters  and  other 
Renaissance  decorations,  and  the  ceilings  are  ornamented  with  plaster 
panelling  and  ornaments,  f 

There  can  be  no  hesitation  in  ascribing  much  of  this  interior  decora- 
tion to  the  English  influence  after  the  Union  of  the  Crowns,  while  a 
certain  proportion  is  also  due  to  the  constant  intercourse  and  commercial 
relations  with  the  Netherlands.  To  the  latter  we  are  certainly  indebted 
for  the  quaint  paintings  in  ceilings  and  panels,  which  were  now  becoming 
common  (see  Glamis  Castle,  Kellie  Castle,  &c.),  and  it  is  well  known  that 
Jameson,  the  "father  of  Scottish  painters,"  studied  in  Antwerp  under 
Rubens  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

*  For  further  details  in  connection  with  this  subject  see  the  introduction  to  the 
fourth  period,  in  the  following  volume. 

t  See  Moray  House,  Vol.  n.  pp.  533,  534  ;  Carnock  Castle,  Vol.  n.  p.  495  ; 
Wintoun  House,  Vol.  n.  pp.  522,  524  ;  Rowallan  House,  Vol.  n.  pp.  379,  380. 


SCOTTISH   STYLE    IN   CHURCHES       —   37    —  INTRODUCTION 

CHURCHES  AND   MONUMENTS  IN  THE 
SCOTTISH   STYLE. 

Although  it  would  be  entirely  beyond  the  scope  of  this  work  to 
attempt  to  include  a  general  account  of  the  Ecclesiastical  and  Monu- 
mental Art  of  Scotland  in  our  description  of  the  Castellated  and  Domestic 
Architecture  of  the  country,  still  there  exist  some  examples  of  churches 
and  monuments  containing  such  striking  illustrations  of  the  Scottish  style 
that  the  exposition  of  the  subject  would  be  incomplete  without  some  notice 
of  them.  These  serve  to  show  how  native  to  the  soil  the  Scottish  style  was, 
and  how  naturally  it  adapted  itself  to  every  kind  of  structure  in  the  land. 
It  has  already  been  observed  that  in  the  earliest  period  of  our  style,  where 
any  signs  of  ornament  exist  in  the  castles,  as,  for  instance,  at  Bothwell, 
Kildrummie,  Dirleton,  &c.,  the  details  correspond  with  those  of  the  Gothic 
architecture  of  the  churches,  as  indeed  was  universally  the  case  at  that 
time  all  over  Christendom.  During  the  second  period  we  saw  that  the  barons 
and  laity  generally  were  too  much  impoverished  to  think  much  of  orna- 
ment; but  where  it  does  occur,  the  same  tendency  to  imitate  ecclesias- 
tical details  continues,  as,  for  example,  in  fireplaces,  aumbries,  &c.  In 
the  third  period  (fifteenth  century),  when  the  style  of  ornament  became 
more  distinctly  Scottish  in  character,  we  find  that  the  process  began  to  be 
reversed,  and  that  many  features  of  our  civil  style  are  gradually  intro- 
duced into  the  ecclesiastical  edifices,  where  they  mingle  with  the  Gothic 
forms  (ante,  p.  27).  This  process  is  further  continued  as  we  progress, 
until,  in  the  fourth  period,  the  application  of  the  details  of  domestic 
architecture  to  ecclesiastical  buildings  becomes  common,  and  Gothic 
features  gradually  disappear  from  our  churches  and  monuments.  These 
finally  assume  the  style  of  architecture  of  the  houses  and  castles  of  the 
period,  and  become  entirely  Scottish  in  design.  Thus,  in  the  gateways  of 
Arbroath*  and  Dunfermline  Abbey,  may  be  seen  the  intermingling  of 
castellated  with  ecclesiastical  elements  at  an  early  period;  and  it  has 
been  indicated  above  how  the  corbels,  turrets,  crow-steps,  and  other  cas- 
tellated features  gradually  found  their  way  into  the  ecclesiastical  edifices. 

It  is  in  the  later  churches,  however,  that  the  adoption  of  domestic 
elements  becomes  general,  nearly  every  church  of  the  fifteenth  and  six- 
teenth centuries  being  distinguished  by  its  crow-stepped  gables  and  cor- 
belled and  embattled  parapets,  precisely  in  the  style  of  the  castles  and 
mansions.  The  towers,  like  those  of  Dunblane  and  Dunfermline,  already 
referred  to  (ante,  p.  28),  are  further  made  to  resemble  castles  by  the  addi- 
tion of  corbelled  and  embrasured  parapets  with  bartizans  at  the  angles. 
The  south  porch  of  Linlithgow  Church,  with  its  corbelled  oriel  and  crow- 
stepped  gable,  has  a  still  more  domestic  aspect  (Fig.  6) ;  while  the  central 
tower  of  Melrose  shows  a  curious  though  elegant  mixture  of  features, 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  561. 


INTRODUCTION 


38 


CASTELLATED   FEATURES 


FIG.  0.— Linlithgow  Church.    Porch. 


IN   CHURCHES 


—    39    — 


INTUODUCTION 


derived  partly  from  the  Ecclesiastical  and  partly  from  the  Domestic 
styles  (Fig.  7). 

Some  of  the  examples  to  be  subsequently  adduced,  such  as  the  west 
front  and  tower  of  the  Greyfriars  at  Stirling,  the  towers  of  Pittenweem 
and  Anstruther  in  Fifeshire,  Fenwick  in  Ayrshire,  and  others  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  show  the  spirit  of  the  Scottish  style  in  the  free  use 
of  corbelling,  zigzag  stringcourses,  turrets,  &c. 

In  the  case  of  Dysart  Church  (infra)  the  tower  has  the  complete 
appearance  of  a  fortified  keep.  At  Torphichen,  again,  a  story  for  a  resi- 
dence is  built  above  the  church,  and  gives  it  a  strong  resemblance  to  a 
place  of  strength.  In  still  later  churches,  erected  after  the  revival  of 
Episcopacy  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the  employment  of  the  Domestic 


Pio.  7. — Melrose.    Tower. 

style  is  very  pronounced.  Thus  at  Dairsie  (infra)  the  corbelling  of  the 
belfry,  and  the  classic  balustrade  with  which  it  is  crowned,  remind  one  of 
the  similar  features  at  Crathes  and  Craigievar. 

As  already  stated,  a  very  prominent  constructional  form  is  adopted 
in  the  roofing  of  our  late  churches,  which  no  doubt  they  owed  to  the 
example  of  the  castles,  viz.,  the  barrel  vaults  covered  with  roofs  of 
overlapping  flagstones,  with  which  they  are  almost  invariably  finished. 

The  barrel  vault,  as  we  shall  have  abundant  evidence,  is  universally 
employed  in  the  vaulting  of  the  ground  floor  of  the  castles,  while  the 
upper  floors  are  also  frequently  covered  with  similar  vaults,  and  the  roofs 
are  very  often  composed  of  overlapping  flagstones  resting  on  barrel  vaults, 
either  round  or  pointed.  We  shall  also  see  that  similar  features  are  intro- 
duced in  the  churches.  / 

The  gradual  adoption  of  the  Renaissance  during  the  first  quarter 
of  the  seventeenth  century  in  the  domestic  architecture  of  the  country 


INTRODUCTION  -    40    —  MONUMENTS 

produced  a  marked  influence  on  that  of  the  churches  also,  and,  as  it 
at  first  chiefly  affected  the  internal  finishings  of  the  former,  so  in  the 
case  of  the  latter  it  is  especially  observable  in  the  fittings  of  the  pulpits, 
galleries,  and  similar  internal  departments.*  At  this  period  the  erection 
of  sepulchral  monuments  in  the  Renaissance  style  took  a  remarkable 
development  throughout  Europe, — a  fashion  which  found  its  votaries  in 
Scotland  also;  indeed,  so  popular  did  this  method  of  following  the  ancient 
heathen  fashion  of  seeking  after  immortality  on  earth  become,  that  every 
one  who  could  afford  it  endeavoured  to  rear  a  monument  to  himself,  on 
which,  surrounded  with  classic  pomp  and  presided  over  by  heathen  gods 
and  goddesses,  a  record  of  virtues  (whether  his  own  or  not)  should  be 
handed  down  to  posterity.  Every  churchyard  in  the  country  bears  testi- 
mony to  this  outburst  of  Renaissance  feeling,  that  of  the  Greyfriars  at 
Edinburgh  being  a  typical  example.  The  more  wealthy  and  ambitious 
further  added  "  aisles  "  or  wings  to  the  churches,  in  which  to  exhibit  and 
preserve  their  more  splendid  monuments.  These  "  aisles  "  were  naturally 
in  the  same  style  as  the  monuments,  and  both  together  thus  helped  to 
impress  the  Renaissance  upon  ecclesiastical  edifices.  The  same  style  soon 
became  general  both  in  domestic  and  church  architecture ;  and  we  find 
fountains,  arbours,  and  similar  structures  attached  to  the  mansions  for 
their  adornment,  which  are  almost  identical  with  the  sepulchral  monu- 
ments in  the  churchyards. 

Of  the  former  we  have  already  given  specimens  in  the  fine  fountains 
at  Pinkie  House  f  and  Dundas  Castle ;  J  and  many  interesting  examples 
of  this  style  of  design,  including  a  large  number  of  sun-dials,  will  be 
described  in  a  later  part  of  this  work. 

The  monuments  have  already  received  illustration  in  that  of  M'Lellan 
at  Kirkcudbright  j§  and  some  fine  specimens  from  Largs,  Ballantrae, 
Crail,  and  elsewhere  will  be  given  in  the  sequel. 

*  See  Pitsligo,  Fen  wick,  &c.,  infra.  J  Vol.  I.  p.  333. 

t  Vol.  n.  p.  397.  §  Vol.  ii.  p.  155. 


THE   CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND. 


FIRST   PERIOD. 

DURING  the  century  before  the  war  of  independence  a  considerable 
number  of  castles  seem  to  have  existed  in  Scotland.  But  from  the 
facility  with  which  these  were  generally  taken  and  destroyed  by  King 
Edward,  they  probably  consisted  chiefly  of  fortifications  composed  of 
earthen  mounds  and  wooden  palisades,  such  as  Edward  himself  caused 
to  be  erected  round  Berwick,  after  he  took  the  town.  Many  stone  and 
mortar  fortresses  were,  however,  in  existence  at  the  date  of  the  English 
invasion.  Some  of  them,  as  fully  explained  above,  were  composed  of 
the  simplest  elements  of  the  style,  and  consisted  of  a  great  enclosing 
wall,  with  a  fortified  parapet ;  while  others  were  provided  with  towers 
at  the  angles,  and  a  few  were  carried  out  with  the  fine  workmanship, 
and  provided  with  the  numerous  halls  and  other  apartments  within  the 
courtyard,  which  were  then  usual  in  France  and  England. 

In  Vol.  I.  a  number  of  illustrations  of  castles  in  different  parts  of 
the  country  exhibiting  all  those  phases  of  the  thirteenth-century  fortress 
were  described.  But,  as  above  mentioned,  it  is  chiefly  in  the  Highlands 
and  Islands  that  examples  are  now  to  be  found.  In  the  more  populous 
and  changeable  portions  of  the  kingdom  many  of  the  earliest  castles 
have  doubtless  been  altered  or  removed  to  make  room  for  those  of  later 
times,  but  in  the  remoter  Highlands  and  Islands  the  primitive  structures 
have  remained  longer  undisturbed.  This  distribution  of  the  castles  of 
the  first  period  recalls  to  mind  what  happened  to  a  still  earlier  form 
of  fortress  which  preceded  them.  It  has  been  shown  by  Dr.  Joseph 
Anderson,  in  his  interesting  works  on  Celtic  Art  and  Architecture,  that 
the  Brochs  of  Scotland,  although  now  rare  in  the  more  southern  and 
cultivated  districts,  are  still  very  abundant  in  the  remoter  and  less  altered 
northern  counties;  and  he  expresses  the  belief  that  they  were  at  one 
time  common  over  the  whole  land,  but  have  been  to  a  great  extent 
destroyed  by  the  operations  of  the  agriculturist.  / 

The  case  of  the  thirteenth-century  castles  is  exactly  parallel.  Amidst 
the  various  struggles  for  existence,  both  with  the  sword  and  with  the 


FIRST    PERIOD  —    42   MINGARRY   CASTLE 

plough,  which  have  taken  place  in  the  more  active  parts  of  the  country, 
the  structures  most  suited  to  the  wants  of  the  times  have  been  preserved, 
and  the  older  disused  forms  have  been  obliterated ;  while  in  the  distant 
and  less  changing  Highlands  and  Islands  castles,  like  other  things,  have 
longer  retained  their  original  shape. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  give  some  account  of  these  ancient  strengths 
of  the  Highlands  and  Islands,  as  well  as  the  few  remaining  examples 
on  the  mainland  not  already  described. 

Of  these  primitive  fortresses  there  are  two  which  occupy  important 
positions  at  each  end  of  the  Sound  of  Mull,  viz.,  Mingarry  Castle,  on 
the  Ardnamurchan  coast,  at  the  north-west  end  of  the  Sound,  near  the 
entrance  to  Loch  Sunart ;  and  Duart,  at  the  north-east  point  of  Mull, 
where  it  commands  the  entrance  to  the  Sound  from  the  east. 

MINGARRY  CASTLE. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  erection  of  this  castle,  but  from  various 
indications  in  the  structure  itself  it  may  be  concluded  that  its  original 
construction  dates  from  the  thirteenth  century.  In  later  times  it  was 
well  known,  having  been  twice  occupied  by  James  iv.  (in  1493  and  1495) 
when  engaged  in  controlling  the  isles  and  receiving  the  submission  of 
the  chiefs.  The  castle  was  for  long  occupied  by  the  M'lans,  a  sept  of 
the  Macdonalds,  descended  from  "the  good  John  of  Isla,"  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  and  Margaret  Stewart,  daughter  of  Robert  II.  The  castle  was 
several  times  besieged,  and  in  1 644  it  was  taken  by  Colkitto,  and  by  him 
used  as  a  prison  for  a  number  of  Covenanters. 

The  situation  is  very  conspicuous,  and  the  castle  is  well  seen  from  the 
Sound  and  from  Tobermory,  which  is  about  six  miles  distant.  Occupy- 
ing, with  its  irregular  outline,  the  whole  of  the  top  of  an  isolated  rock 
from  20  to  30  feet  high,  close  to  the  shore,  this  fortress  guards  the 
entrance  from  the  open  sea,  both  to  the  Sound  of  Mull  and  to  Loch 
Sunart,  while  it  is  so  placed  as  to  command  a  view  down  the  greater 
part  of  the  Sound.  The  Point  of  Ardnamurchan,  which  is  only  a  short 
distance  off  to  the  westward,  formed  the  division  between  the  Norderies 
and  the  Suderies.  Mingarry  thus  possessed  the  gateway  to  the  southern 
division  of  the  islands. 

In  form  the  structure  is  an  irregular  hexagon  (Fig.  8),  the  rocky  site 
of  which  rises  abruptly  from  the  sea  on  four  of  its  sides,  and  is  detached 
from  the  mainland  on  the  remaining  two  sides  by  a  deep  ditch  cut  out  of 
the  rock.  The  walls  enclose  a  space  about  65  feet  from  north  to  south, 
and  53  feet  from  east  to  west.  Those  on  the  three  sides  next  the  sea  are 
about  6  feet  in  thickness,  and  25  feet  in  height  above  the  level  of  the 
courtyard,  while  those  on  the  three  sides  next  the  land  are  raised  con- 
siderably higher,  probably  both  for  defensive  purposes,  and  also  to 


MINGARRY    CASTLE 


—  43  — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


conceal  the  roof  of  the  hall  and  other  buildings,  which  it  seems  likely 
were  erected  in  that  position. 

The  principal  entrance  was  naturally  in  the  south  wall,  towards  the  sea, 
so  as  to  give  convenient  access  to  and  from  the  ships,  which  formed  the 
principal  means  of  communication  amongst  the  islands.  The  doorway 
stands  at  a  considerable  height  above  the  water,  and  is  approached  by  rough 
steps  cut  in  the  rock.  The  entrance,  which  is  only  2  feet  10  inches  wide, 


PIG.  8.—  Mingarry  Castle.    Plan. 

was  defended  by  an  iron  gate,  which  still  exists ;  and  the  inner  wooden 
door  was  strengthened  with  a  strong  oaken  sliding  bar,  for  which  the  slot 
in  the  wall  still  remains,  and  there  is  a  recess  in  the  ingoing  which  might 
contain  arrows  or  other  weapons  for  the  use  of  the  sentinel.  "Within 
the  enceinte  the  principal  residence  was  no  doubt  constructed  on  the 
north  or  landward  side,  where  the  wall  was  sufficiently  high  to  allow 
of  a  building  several  stories  in  height,  and  where  several  very  early 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    44    — 


MINGARRY   CASTLE 


MINGARRY    CASTLE  -    45    -  FIRST    PERIOD 

pointed  loopholes  or  windows  are  visible  on  the  exterior  of  the  wall. 
The  original  structure  would  therefore  occupy  very  much  the  same 
position  as  the  present  one  (shown  by  hatched  lines).  The  latter, 
however,  is  probably  an  erection  of  last  century.  It  is  three  stories  in 
height,  and  had  a  scale  staircase  and  large  modern  windows  and  fireplaces. 
The  hatched  walls  at  the  sides  also  indicate  offices  and  outhouses,  appar- 
ently of  the  same  date.  The  width  of  these  places,  which  otherwise 
would  have  been  very  narrow,  especially  on  the  east  side,  has  been 
increased  by  hollowing  out  the  lower  part  of  the  ancient  thick  walls  to 
the  depth  of  2  or  3  feet  (see  Plan) — the  upper  part  of  the  wall  above  the 
excavation  being  sustained  by  strong  wooden  beams.  The  two  small  wall- 
chambers  or  garde-robes  in  the  east  and  west  walls  seem  to  be  the  only 
original  recesses  in  the  walls.  The  erections  on  the  west  side  have  been 
two  stories  high,  and  contained  apartments  on  the  upper  floor  and 
cellars  beneath.  The  offices  on  the  east  side  seem  to  have  been  stables 
or  byres. 

In  the  north-west  angle  of  the  courtyard,  an  outside  stair  (the  solid 
under-building  of  which  still  remains)  led  up  to  the  battlements,  having  a 
landing  for  access  to  the  parapet  walk  on  the  lower  walls,  and  being  then 
continued  to  the  higher  level  of  the  north  wall,  as  shown.  Beneath  this 
staircase  was  the  postern  or  landward  door,  with  its  long  narrow  ingoing. 
This  would  originally  communicate  with  the  mainland  by  means  of  a 
wooden  bridge  across  the  fosse,  although  in  more  recent  times  it  has  been 
supplanted  by  a  stone  bridge. 

The  walls  of  this  castle  have  a  very  ancient  appearance,  and  the  idea 
of  antiquity  is  strengthened  by  the  form  of  the  loopholes  or  windows 
above  referred  to,  which  are  evidently  original,  though  now  built  up 
internally.  These,  as  seen  in  view  of  the  north  side  (Fig.  9),  are  all 
narrow  openings  with  pointed  arches  and  plain  splays,  similar  in  style 
to  those  at  Dunstaffnage  and  Duart.  The  walls  at  the  parapet  have  all 
the  appearance  at  first  sight  of  having  been  armed  with  wooden  hoardings 
— owing  to  the  number  of  square  apertures  like  those  formed  for  the 
reception  of  short  wooden  beams  for  their  support.  But  a  closer  examina- 
tion leads  to  the  conclusion  that  these  apertures  have  simply  been 
gutters  (without  projecting  gargoyles)  to  carry  off  the  water  from  the 
parapet  walk.  Those  over  the  postern  seem,  however,  to  be  exceptional, 
and  probably  carried  a  breteche,  to  which  the  larger  openings  in  the 
parapet  at  this  point  gave  access,  for  the  defence  of  the  doorway  below. 
The  remains  of  the  crenellations  of  the  parapet  are  still  observable,  as 
well  as  long  loops  in  the  merlons  on  the  west  side.  The  upright  loops 
under  the  level  of  the  parapet  walk  on  the  north  side  were  probably 
intended  to  allow  of  shooting  downwards  from  the  parapet  into  the 
ditch  below.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  angles  of  the  enceinte,  even 
where  these  are  very  obtuse,  are  all  rounded,  and  three  of  them  are 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—   46    — 


DUART   CASTLE 


crowned  with  angle  turrets.  The  latter  are  not  supported  in  the  usual 
manner  on  continuous  courses  of  corbelling,  but  rest  on  single  boldly 
projected  corbels,  which  would  leave  the  space  between  them  open  and 
available  for  defensive  purposes. 

We  have  here  undoubtedly  one  of  the  primitive  castles  of  the 
Western  Islands.  The  general  plan  of  the  enceinte — the  small  doorways 
— the  narrow  windows  with  their  pointed  arches,  similar  to  those  at 
Duart  and  Dunstaffnage,  all  indicate  a  date  as  old  as  the  thirteenth 
century.  The  parapet  seems  also  to  be  of  the  same  date,  and  the  angle 
turrets  have  a  very  simple  and  original  appearance.  It  is  possible, 
however,  that  the  parapet  may  have  been  reconstructed  and  the  turrets 
added  in  the  fourteenth  century.  They  have  been  further  altered  in 
later  times  to  suit  firearms. 


DUART   CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  massive  ruin  occupies  a  very  prominent  position  at  the  north- 
east angle  of  the  island  of  Mull,  and  commands  the  entrance  to  the 


Fia.  10.— Duart  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

Sound  from  the  east.     It  was  for  long  the  stronghold  of  the  principal 
branch  of  the  Macleans,  but  the  history  of  its  erection   is   unknown, 

\ 
\ 


DUART    CASTLE 


—    47    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


The  earliest  notice  of  the  castle  is  in  1390.  Its  most  prominent  feature 
from  a  distance  is  the  great  oblong  keep,  63  feet  long  by  46  feet  wide 
(Fig.  10),  with  high  and  massive  walls  varying  from  10  to  15  feet  in  thick- 
ness, which  towers  above  the  lofty  and  precipitous  site.  On  the  north  and 
west  sides  the  walls  of  the  keep  are  close  to  the  edge  of  the  rock,  there 
being  just  room  enough  left  at  the  north  side  to  permit  of  a  passage  to 
the  entrance  doorway,  which  is  placed  there.  On  the  east  of  the  keep  is 
the  courtyard  (Fig.  11),  enclosed  on  the  south  and  east  sides  with 
a  great  wall  of  enceinte,  from  6  to  10  feet  thick,  and  still  about 
30  feet  high.  Beyond  this  the  castle  was  further  protected  by  a  deep 
ditch  cujb  in  the  rock,  of  which  traces  still  remain. 

*/•  :,  '•*//. 


FIG.  11. -Duart  Castle.    Plan. 

What  the  age  of  this  building  may  be  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine 
but  for  the  analogy  of  others  of  the  same  description.  Castles  of  some 
kind  no  doubt  occupied  important  strategic  points  such  as  this  in  the 
Western  Islands  from  a  very  early  date.  Of  the  existing  structure  the 
primitive  portion  undoubtedly  consisted  of  the  great  wall  of  enceinte 
enclosing  a  courtyard,  80  feet  by  65  feet.  This  fortress  would  thus  cor- 
respond in  design  with  other  rude  castles  of  the  first  period,  such  as 
Mingarry,  Castle  Roy,  and  Kinclaven. 

The  keep  of  Duart  is  of  a  different  style  from  the  wall  of  enceinte, 
and  is  clearly  an  addition  of  the  second  period,  its  construction  being 
exactly  similar  to  that  of  the  other  large  keeps  of  the  period  on  the 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    48    — 


DUART    CASTLE 


mainland,  such  as  Dundonald  in  Ayrshire,  and  Drum  in  Deeside.  The 
keep  has  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others  in  the  West,  been  added  to 
"the  primitive  wall  of  enceinte.  The  entrance  gateway  to  the  courtyard 
(Fig.  12)  is  in  the  centre  of  the  south  wall.  The  original  opening  was 
6  feet  wide,  surmounted  with  a  plain  pointed  arch  splayed  on  the  angle. 
This  has  been  reduced  at  a  late  time  by  partly  building  up  the  opening, 
when  also  a  porch  or  gate-house  was  added.  Surrounding  the  interior 
of  the  courtyard  on  the  east  and  north  sides  are  the  remains  of  a 
mansion,  apparently  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

Returning  to  the  keep,  the  original  doorway,  which  has  a  round 
arched  head,  was  on  the  first  floor,  at  some  height  above  the  level  of  the 
rock  outside.  The  sill  has,  however,  been  cut  down  to  suit  the  new  levels 


Fro.  12.— Duart  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

of  the  floors,  which  have  evidently  been  altered  when  the  later  additions 
were  made  in  the  courtyard.  The  keep  seems  originally  to  have  had  a 
basement  story,  but  apparently  the  floor  has  been  lowered  (at  the  same 
time  that  the  door  sill  was  cut  down,  as  above  mentioned),  and  the  base- 
ment may  then  have  been  filled  up.  This  could  now  only  be  ascertained 
by  excavation. 

The  windows  on  the  existing  ground  floor  have  the  deep  round- 
arched  recesses  with  stone  seats  and  small  openings  for  light  usual  in  the 
fourteenth-century  keeps.  The  floor  of  these  window  recesses  is  con- 
siderably above  the  existing  level  of  the  keep  floor,  showing  that  the 
latter  has  been  lowered,  as  already  noticed.  The  eastern  wall  is  of  the 
great  thickness  of  15  feet.  This  probably  arises  from  the  east  wall  of 
the  keep  having  been  built  against  the  older  west  wall  of  enceinte, 


DUART   CASTLE 


—   49 


FIRST   PERIOD 


which  has  been  preserved  and  heightened  along  with  the  east  wall  of 

the  keep.     This  view  is  supported  by  the  fact  that  there  are  chambers 

in  the  upper  or  raised  portion  of  this  wall  (not  now  accessible,  however), 

while  there  do  not  appear  to  have  been  any  on  the  lower  floors.     The 

walls  at  the  north-west  angle  are  further   strengthened   with   a   great 

buttress,  which  is  carried  up  about  one  half  the  height  of  the  building 

(Fig.  10).     The  access  to  the  upper  floors  and  the  parapet  is  by  a  single 

narrow  wheel -stair  in  the  east  wall,  the  door  to  which  was  (like  that 

of  the  keep)  strengthened  with  a  stout 

sliding  bar.     The  upper  floors  were  of 

wood,  the  corbels  which  supported  the 

beams  being  still  visible  in  the  walls. 

The  top  of  the  walls,  which  formed 

the  original  parapet  walk,   is  now  a 

broad  platform,  well  defended  from  the 

weather  by  a  coating  of  cement.    There 

are  indications  of  a  corbelled  bartizan 

having  existed  at  the  north-west  angle, 

and  the  other  angles  were  probably  all 

provided  with  similar  defences,  having 

a  crenellated  parapet   between  them, 

similar  to  that,  for  instance,  of  Doune 

Castle. 

The  alterations  above  referred  to  in 
the  keep,  and  the  extensions  in  the 
courtyard,  seem  to  have  been  executed 
in  the  seventeenth  century.  The  lat- 
ter consist,  on  the  north  side,  of  a  two- 
story  building  48  feet  long  and  14  feet 
wide  internally.  The  entrance  doorway 
is  in  the  centre,  and  is  surmounted  with 
a  shield  (Fig.  13),  which  no  doubt  con- 
tained the  arms  of  the  M 'Leans,  but 
the  carving  is  now  too  far  decayed  to 
be  intelligible.  The  floors  here  have 
been  entirely  of  wood,  and  there  has  been  no  vaulting. 

A  straight  stone  staircase  cut  out  of  the  west  end  of  this  building 
leads  from  the  principal  courtyard  to  the  small  open  court  opposite  the 
entrance  to  the  keep.  The  passage  has  been  defended  with  a  door.  In 
this  small  courtyard  there  have  evidently  been  some  latrines  with 
shoots  at  the  north-west  angle.  The  northern  wall  of  the  north  addition, 
although  not  of  the  same  great  thickness  as  those  on  the  east  and  south, 
is  apparently  very  old,  from  the  small  loopholes,  with  pointed  arches 
similar  to  those  at  Dunstaffnage  and  Mingarry,  which  occur  in  it.  It 

P 


Fio.  13.— Duart  Castle.    Doorway. 


FIRST    PERIOD  50   —  DUART   CASTLE 

was  not  necessary  that  this  wall  should  be  so  thick  as  the  others,  the 
castle  being  unassailable  on  the  north  side,  owing  to  the  precipitous  rock 
immediately  beneath  it.  Access  to  the  upper  floor  was  obtained  by  the 
circular  staircase  jutting  out  to  the  north,  which  also  contains  a  window 
with  a  pointed  arch. 

The  building  on  the  east  side  of  the  courtyard  is  probably  of  older 
date  than  that  on  the  north,  but  it  possesses  almost  no  distinctive 
features  to  fix  its  age.  The  basement  contains  four  vaulted  cellars, 
two  of  them  being  each  provided  with  a  small  window.  The  doors  and 
windows  next  the  courtyard  are  round  arched.  The  entrance  to  the 
northmost  cellar  has  been  built  before  the  addition  of  the  north  wing, 
thus  showing  that  the  east  wing  is,  the  older  of  the  two.  Above  these 
cellars  there  has  seemingly  been  a  great  hall  with  four  large  windows 
looking  to  the  east,  of  which  the  ingoings  are  still  visible.  These  have 
been  cut  through  the  original  thick  wall  of  enceinte.  The  entrance  to 
this  hall  has  probably  been  by  some  kind  of  outer  stair  in  the  open  space 
at  the  south  end.  At  the  north  end  the  north  wall  is  curved  out  to  a 
point  to  prevent  any  passage  round  the  rock  at  the  foot  of  the  walls. 
A  blunt  edge  is  thus  formed  like  the  outer  face  of  a  buttress,  which  is 
surmounted  by  a  large  round  turret  with  entrance  from  the  hall  on  the 
first  floor.  The  north  gable  is  further  made  of  great  thickness  and 
contains  wall-chambers.  The  walls  of  enceinte  all  round  have  evidently 
been  defended  with  a  crenellated  parapet.  Some  oval  shot-holes  have 
been  inserted  in  the  south-east  angle  at  a  late  date. 

From  the  above  description  it  will  be  evident  that  Duart  has  certainly 
been  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  powerful  of  the  castles  of  the  West,  and 
it  belonged  to  a  family  who  held  a  prominent  place  in  the  annals  of  the  Isles. 

The  founder  of  the  House  of  Duart  was  Lauchlan  M'Lean,  surnamed 
Lubanach,  who  married,  in  1366,  Margaret,  daughter  of  the  first  Lord 
of  the  Isles. 

The  ancient  walls  of  enceinte  no  doubt  formed  the  castle  previous 
to  that  time,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  keep  was  erected  by 
Lubanach,  with  whose  date  its  style  exactly  corresponds.  The  family 
continued  to  flourish,  and  obtained  extensive  possessions  both  in  the 
Isles  and  on  the  mainland,  and  M'Lean,  in  addition  to  Duart,  became 
heritable  keeper  of  a  number  of  castles.  In  the  "  Account  of  the  Clan 
M'Lean  by  a  Seneachie,"  it  is  stated  that  "  Hector  M6r  was  the  founder 
of  that  noble  addition  to  Duart  Castle  called  the  Great  Tower.  He  lived 
altogether  more  like  a  noble  of  our  own  day  than  a  feudal  baron."  This 
was  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century.  It  seems  more  likely  that  the 
alterations  on  the  keep  above  referred  to  were  carried  out  by  Hector  M6r, 
and  he  may  also  have  built  the  earlier  part  of  the  additions.  Hence  his 
name  has  come  by  tradition  to  be  connected  with  the  "Great  Tower." 
The  latter,  however,  bears  all  the  marks  of  a  second-period  keep,  while  the 


KI8MULL    CASTLE  -    51    -  FIRST    PERIOD 

later  erections  are  in  the  style  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries 
throughout  Scotland. 

In  the  sixteenth  century  the  royal  authority  began  to  be  practically 
felt  in  the  islands,  but  insurrections  and  feuds  continued  to  be  endless. 
When  James  vi.  found  himself  backed  with  the  power  of  England  he 
took  stronger  steps  to  ensure  order.  In  1608  Lord  Ochiltree  was  de- 
spatched with  a  naval  force  to  receive  the  submission  of  the  chiefs.  The 
castle  of  Duart  was  delivered  up  to  him  by  Hector  M'Lean,  to  whose 
keeping,  however,  it  was  again  entrusted  on  his  promise  to  surrender 
it  when  required.  The  Privy  Council  now  held  the  chiefs  well  in  hand. 
They  were  required  to  keep  order  in  their  domains,  and  were  held 
responsible  for  any  outrages.  They  had  to  appear  annually  before  the 
Privy  Council,  and  also  to  exhibit  a  certain  number  of  their  kinsmen. 
Duart  had  to  produce  four,  which  was  a  large  number,  and  marked  his 
importance.  The  chiefs  were  prohibited  from  maintaining  in  their 
households  more  than  a  certain  proportion  of  gentlemen  according  to 
their  rank.  Duart  was  allowed  eight  such  retainers,  being  the  largest 
number  sanctioned.  They  were  also  required  to  reside  at  certain  fixed 
places,  and,  where  necessary,  to  build  "  civil  and  comelie "  houses  or 
repair  those  damaged,  and  to  occupy  themselves  with  farming.  Each 
chief  was  restricted  to  one  birling  or  galley  of  sixteen  or  eighteen  oars ; 
and  the  quantity  of  wine  allowed  in  each  household  was  strictly  limited — 
Duart's  allowance  being  four  tuns  per  annum,  the  largest  sanctioned  to 
any  chief.*  From  these  regulations  and  other  incidents  it  is  evident 
that  Hector  M'Lean  of  Duart  at  that  time  occupied  a  foremost  place 
in  the  islands,  and  it  seems  very  probable  that  the  enlargement  of  the 
castle  by  the  buildings  on  the  north  was  carried  out  under  him  and  his 
son  Lachlan,  who  in  1631  attended  Court  and  was  created  a  Nova  Scotia 
Baronet.  He  died  at  Duart  in  1669.  The  lintel  of  the  doorway  of  the 
north  range  bears  initials  which  seem  to  be  S.  L.  M.,  for  Sir  Lachlan 
M'Lean,  and  the  date  1633.  The  style  of  architecture  accords  with  that 
of  the  period  on  the  mainland. 

KISMULL  CASTLE,! 
ISLAND  OF  BARRA,  OUTER  HEBRIDES,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

This  very  interesting  castle  was  the  ancient  stronghold  of  the  Mac- 
neills  of  Barra.  It  stands  on  an  islet  in  Castlebay,  on  the  south  coast 
of  the  island  of  Barra,  in  the  Outer  Hebrides.  The  structure  is  of 

*  See  Gregory's  History  of  the  Highlands. 

t  The  Plan  of  this  castle  is  completed  from  measurements  made  by  Mr.  Donald 
M'Lean,  schoolmaster,  Castlebay,  who  has  also  kindly  furnished  particulars  from 
which  the  description  is  partly  written. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    52    — 


KISMULL   CASTLE 


the  same  primitive  type  as  the  castles  in  the  Sound  of  Mull  and  on  the 
mainland,  and  shows  that  the  same  influences  which  produced  the  latter 
were  also  in  operation  in  the  remoter  islands.  In  the  fourteenth  century 
Barra,  along  with  other  domains,  was  restored  by  David  n.  to  Ronald, 
son  of  Roderick  M'Alan,  who  had  followed  Baliol,  but  who,  along  with 
John  of  the  Isles,  was  pardoned  by  the  king  in  1344,  with  a  view  to 
securing  the  aid  of  the  islanders  in  his  intended  wars  with  England. 
In  1427  Roderick  Macmurchan  Macneill  obtained  a  charter  of  the  island 
of  Barra  from  the  Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  it  continued  thereafter  in  that 
family.  They  were  followers  of  M'Lean  of  Duart,  while  the  Macneills 


FIG.  14.— Kismull  Castle.    Plan. 

of  Gigha,  a  different  branch  of  the  same  clan,  adhered  to  Macdonald  of 
Isla.  The  latter  Macneill  was  in  1472  keeper  of  Castle  Swin  under 
the  Lord  of  the  Isles. 

As  above  mentioned  the  castle  of  Kismull  is  of  the  type  of  the 
first  period,  and  consisted  originally  of  an  enclosing  wall  of  an  irregular 
outline  (Fig.  14)  following  the  shape  of  the  rocky  site,  so  that  at  full 
tide  the  whole  of  the  island  outside  the  walls  was  covered  with  water. 
At  a  later  period  a  keep  tower  has  been  added  at  the  south-east  angle 
of  the  enclosure,  in  the  same  way  as  a  similar  structure  was  added  at 
Duart  and  many  of  the  ancient  fortresses  of  the  first  period. 


KISMULL   CASTLE 


—  53  — 


FIRST   PERIOD 


FIRST    PERIOD  -    54   -  KISMULL   CASTLE 

The  castle  is  of  considerable  size,  measuring  about  100  feet  in  diameter. 
The  principal  entrance  to  the  courtyard  was  on  the  south-east  side,  where 
a  door  is  still  visible  (Fig.  15),  though  built  up,  surmounted  by  a  machico- 
lated  defence  at  the  parapet.  Like  the  doors  to  Mingarry  and  Ellan- 
Tirrim,  this  one  is  very  narrow.  Opposite  the  south  wall  a  narrow 
creek  in  the  rock,  defended  by  a  wall  from  the  waves,  is  considered  to 
have  been  the  harbour  or  dock  for  the  chief's  galley.  Externally  the 
walls  present  an  appearance  very  similar  to  those  of  Mingarry  and 
Duart,  being  solidly  built  with  rubble  stones  and  mortar.  The  angles 
have  a  sharp  arris  at  the  base,  but  the  northern  angle  (at  N  on  Plan) 
is  rounded  as  it  ascends,  and  becomes  a  turret  containing  a  small 
platform  or  sentinel's  stance  on  top.  Below  this  is  what  is  called 
"the  dungeon,"  there  having  probably  been  two  apartments  in  the 
height  of  the  tower  formed  by  rounding  the  angle, — the  lower  one  of 
which  may  have  been  a  prison,  while  the  upper  one  was  a  guard-room. 
The  stones"  which  covered  the  platform  or  roof  of  the  latter  still  partly 
exist.  A  ruined  stair  leads  to  the  upper  chamber  and  the  sentinel's 
stance.  There  are  two  windows  or  loops  for  defence  in  the  upper 
chamber.  The  walls  of  the  enceinte  are  four  feet  in  thickness  on  the 
north  and  west,  and  7  feet  thick  on  the  east  side,  which  is  nearest  the 
land,  and  about  50  feet  in  height.  A. parapet  walk  goes  round  the  top, 
and  the  parapet,  which  is  18  inches  in  thickness,  has  been  crenellated. 
A  number  of  holes  are  visible  all  round  the  outside  at  the  level  of  the 
parapet  walk.  These,  like  the  similar  apertures  at  Mingarry,  are  evidently 
gutters  or  gargoyles  to  run  the  water  off  the  walk. 

The  wall  on  the  north-west  (Fig.  16)  presents  two  rounded  projections, 
which  seem  to  have  been  embryo  towers  somewhat  like  those  of  Dunstaff- 
nage,  introduced  as  points  of  vantage  from  which  the  curtains  might  be 
defended.  Within  the  enceinte,  a  number  of  buildings  have  been  erected 
at  later  dates  for  residential  purposes.  These  have  extended  all  round 
the  walls,  but  they  are  now  almost  completely  ruined.  The  portion  at 
the  western  angle  is  best  preserved.  It  shows  a  building  two  stories  in 
height,  with  square  doors  and  windows  and  crow-stepped  gables.  This 
range  has  apparently  been  divided  into  a  number  of  apartments  on  the 
ground  floor,  each  having  a  separate  door  from  the  courtyard.  The  width 
of  the  range  is  18  to  19  feet.  Each  floor  has  a  fireplace  in  the  south-west 
gable,  and  these  are  the  only  fireplaces  visible  in  the  whole  structure. 
There  was  also  an  attic  floor,  as  is  apparent  from  a  door  through  the 
upper  part  of  the  central  gable.  In  the  open  space  between  the  gable  of 
above  building  and  the  south-west  wall  is  one  of  the  two  wells  which 
supplied  the  castle  with  fresh  water ;  the  other  was  in  the  centre  of  the 
courtyard,  but  is  now  filled  up,  and  is  no  longer  visible.  That  at  the 
south-west  angle  is  enclosed  with  a  wall  and  partly  covered  with  large 
stones.  It  is  still  10  feet  deep,  although  to  some  extent  filled  up  with 


KISMULL   CASTLE 


—  55  — 


FIKST    PERIOD 


rubbish,  and  contains  fresh  water.  This  is  certainly  a  somewhat  remark- 
able circumstance,  and  the  existence  of  this  spring  was  doubtless  one  of 
the  inducements  which  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  island  as  the  site  for 
the  castle. 

The  keep  occupies  the  south-east  angle  of  the  enceinte.  It 
measures  29  feet  by  27  feet  8  inches,  and  is  carried  up  from  a  broadly- 
splayed  or  battered  base.  The  entrance  door  is  in  the  north  side,  towards 
the  interior  of  the  courtyard,  and  is  placed  on  the  level  of  the  first  floor, 
so  that  it  could  only  be  entered  by  means  of  a  ladder,  or  possibly  by  a 
moveable  bridge  from  the  parapet  walk.  There  are  remains  of  two  stone 
stairs  which  led  up  to  this  door  from  the  courtyard,  but  these  are  doubtless 


FIG.  16.-  -Kismull  Castle.    View  from  North- West. 

additions  of  a  much  later  date.  From  the  first  or  entrance  floor,  a  stair, 
3  feet  3  inches  wide,  runs  up  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  to  the  second 
floor,  whence  it  is  continued  to  the  third  or  top  floor.  A  similar  stair 
descends  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  to  the  basement,  but  it  is  now 
choked  with  rubbish.  The  walls  are  6  feet  in  thickness,  and  have  been 
pierced  with  two  loops  on  the  ground  floor.  On  the  first  floor  there 
are  two  recesses,  7  feet  high,  with  small  windows,  and  larger  arched 
openings  at  the  stair  landings.  Very  few  and  small  window  openings  are 
now  visible  externally.  The  basement  probably,  as  usual,  contained  the 
stores.  The  hall  would  occupy  the  first  floor,  and  above  this  would  be 
the  chief's  private  apartment,  which  has  windows  in  three  sides. 


I 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—   56   — 


ELLAN-TIRRIM    CASTLE 


The  gutter-holes,  which  were  formed  at  the  level  of  the  original 
parapet,  with  their  drip-stones,  are  still  observable,  but  the  parapet  has 
been  raised  at  a  subsequent  date  so  as  to  provide  an  additional  story.  In 
the  upper  story  there  occurs,  on  the  north  side  of  the  keep,  a  projecting 
bartizan  immediately  over  the  entrance  door,  with  a  machicolation  for  its 
defence.  A  similar  bartizan  (as  already  noticed)  is  placed  at  the  parapet 
of  the  wall  of  enceinte  adjoining  the  north-east  angle  of  the  keep,  for  the 
protection  of  the  entrance  which  existed  in  the  rounded  angle  of  the  wall 
at  this  point.  The  doorway  would  also  in  this  position  be  masked  and 
protected  by  the  keep.  It  is  observable  that  the  angles  of  the  enceinte 
have  been  raised  higher  than  the  curtains,  but  they  do  not  form  projecting 
bartizans. 


CASTLE  OF  ELLAN-TIRRIM,   INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

This  ruinous  and  picturesque  pile  occupies  the  whole  of  the  irregular 
platform  on  the  top  of  an  isolated  rock  nearly  surrounded  by  the  waters 


PIQ.  17.— Ellan-Tirrim  Castle.    Plan. 


of  Loch  Moidart,  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  Shin.    It  was  one  of  the  castles 
on  the  estates  of  the  Lady  Amie  M'Ruari,  the  first  wife  of  John  of  the 


ELLAN-TIRRIM   CASTLE 


—  57  — 


FIRST   PERIOD 


58    —  CASTLE   SWIN 

Isles,  and  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  her  after  her  separation  from  her 
husband,  in  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century.  (See  also  Borve.)  But 
although  doubtless  occupied,  and  perhaps  added  to,  by  her,  it  is  evidently 
a  structure  of  an  earlier  time,  and  corresponds  in  its  main  features  with 
the  other  castles  of  the  first  period  in  the  isles.  The  wall  of  enceinte 
(Fig.  17),  like  that  of  Mingarry  and  Kismull,  is  of  an  irregular  form,  being 
constructed  so  as  to  fit  the  site  on  which  it  stands.  This  wall  is  for  the 
most  part  ancient,  but  the  north-eastern  portion,  which  is  thinner  than 
the  remainder,  has  possibly  been  rebuilt.  The  entrance  doorway  is  in  the 
north  wall.  It  is  small,  like  those  of  Mingarry  and  Kismull,  and  has  a 
long  narrow  passage  through  the  wall,  while  a  wide  machicolation  corbelled 
out  on  the  exterior  defends  it  from  above. 

The  courtyard  is  irregular  in  its  levels,  the  northern  being  several  feet 
lower  than  the  southern  portion,  and  has  been  divided  into  sections  with 
walls,  which  probably  had  steps  leading  from  one  to  the  other.  An  out- 
side stair  in  the  inner  side  of  the  west  wall  led  to  the  battlements.  The 
gargoyles  from  the  parapet  walk  are  visible  in  the  old  part  of  the  wall  of 
enceinte  (Fig.  18),  and  are  similar  to  those  of  Mingarry  and  Kismull. 
The  habitable  buildings  are  ranged  along  the  south  and  east  walls ;  none 
of  these  have  the  appearance  of  being  very  ancient.  As  is  the  case  with 
most  of  the  Western  castles  of  the  first  period,  a  keep  has  been  added  to 
the  great  wall  of  enceinte  at  a  later  date.  In  this  instance  the  keep  is 
situated  at  the  south-west  angle  of  the  enclosure.  It  is  a  square  struc- 
ture, crowned  with  turrets  at  the  angles,  which  have  the  corbelling  of  the 
fourth  period.  The  apartment  in  the  south-east  angle  seems  to  have 
been  a  kitchen,  having  a  well  under  one  of  the  walls  and  an  oven  in  the 
angle.  That  to  the  north  of  it  was  probably  the  hall. 

In  later  times  Castle-Tirrim  became  one  of  the  fortresses  of  the  Clan 
Ranald.  It  is  said  to  have  been  occupied  by  Cromwell's  troopers,  and 
was  finally  burned  in  1715.  But  its  old  walls  of  the  thirteenth  century 
still  remain  almost  intact,  and  as  the  structure  is  well  taken  care  of  they 
may  still  survive  for  centuries  to  come,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the 
unfortunate  Lady  Amie. 


CASTLE  SWIN,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  remote  fortress  which  stands  on  a  promontory  near  the  mouth  of  Loch 
Swin,  a  long  and  picturesque  arm  of  the  sea,  on  the  west  side  of  Knapdale. 
It  is  one  of  the  great  first-period  castles,  of  which  so  many  are  found  in  the 
West  Highlands  and  Islands.  The  tradition  regarding  its  origin  is  that  it 
was  built  by  Swin,  or  Sweyn,  a  Prince  of  Denmark,  in  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury. Possibly  there  may  have  been  some  primitive  Danish  fort  on  the  site, 


CASTLE   SWIN 


—    59    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


which  gave  its  name  to  the  locality  ;  but  the  existing  structure  has  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  other  thirteenth-century  fortresses  of  the  West.  The 
chief  feature  is,  as  usual,  a  great  quadranglular  enclosing  wall,  6  to  7  feet 
in  thickness  (Fig.  19),  containing  a  space  70  feet  by  50  feet.  The  wall  is 
strengthened  at  the  angles  and  in  the  centre  of  each  side  with  broad 
buttresses  in  a  manner  not  unlike  a  Norman  building;  indeed,  this  is 
the  nearest  approach  to  the  "  Norman  "  style  of  castle  building  to  be  met 
with  amongst  our  Scottish  castles.  The  projection  is  somewhat  greater  at 


FIG.  19.— Castle  Swin.    Plan. 


the  south-east  than  the  other  angles,  so  as  to  admit  of  a  wall-chamber 
(probably  a  guard-room)  on  the  upper  floor.  A  garde-robe  is  formed  in 
a  similar  position  in  the  north-west  angle,  where  the  wall  is  of  considerable 
height  towards  the  exterior.  The  gateway  (Fig.  20)  is  in  the  usual  style 
of  a  number  of  these  primitive  structures,  such,  for  instance,  as  Duart, 
Skipness,  and  Inverlochy.  The  arch  is  semi-circular,  and  the  opening 
6  feet  6  inches  wide.  It  is  formed  in  a  slight  projection  from  the  face  of 
the  wall,  and  has  a  long  bar-hole  for  a  strong  bolt.  The  wall  is  thickened 
on  the  inside  so  as  to  make  the  entrance  passage  fully  10  feet  deep,  and 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    60   — 


CASTLE   SWIN 


also  to  enable  a  wide  platform  to  be  constructed  over  the  gateway  for 
its  defence.  The  approach  to  this  platform  was  by  an  open  staircase, 
of  which  some  portions  still  remain.  At  a  later  date  additions  have 
been  made  to  the  original  fortress  at  the  north-east  angle  and  along  the 
west  side.  The  former  consists  of  a  rectangular  keep,  such  as  we  have 
seen  was  frequently  added  to  these  primitive  fortresses,  as,  for  example, 
at  the  castles  of  Barra  and  Duart.  In  this  instance  the  keep  is  built 
on  the  outside  of  the  enceinte,  not  within  it,  as  in  the  latter  castles. 
It  measures  45  feet  by  36  feet,  and  the  walls  are  7  feet  in  thickness. 
Owing  to  the  slope  of  the  site  the  first  floor  of  the  keep  has  been  nearly 
on  the  level  of  the  ground  within  the  original  castle,  thus  admitting  of 


FIG.  20.— Castle  Bwin.    Vi«w  from  South- West. 

a  basement  floor  beneath,  which  seems  to  have  contained  the  kitchen  and 
bakehouse.  The  oven  and  the  water-supply  spout  are  still  in  existence,  as 
well  as  a  dwarf  wall  in  the  centre,  and  a  set-off  round  the  outer  walls  to 
support  the  joists  of  the  floor  above.  The  first  floor,  no  doubt,  contained 
the  hall,  with  a  lord's  room  above,  and  bedrooms  in  the  roof.  The  windows 
(Fig.  21)  are  all  narrow  loops  with  plain  splays,  similar  in  style  to  those 
of  Dunstaffnage,  Duart,  and  Mingarry.  This  keep  is  evidently  of  very 
old  date,  from  the  early  character  of  its  details  above  referred  to — the 
narrow  window-openings,  with  their  pointed  arches  and  plain  splays, 
being  of  the  same  style  as  those  we  have  already  noticed  at  several  of  the 
primitive  fortresses,  white  they  also  correspond  with  the  similar  features 
of  the  simple  churches  of  the  district  dating  from  the  thirteenth  century. 


CASTLK   SWIN 


—  61  — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


There  can,  however,  be  no  doubt  about  the  fact  of  the  keep  being  an 
addition  to  the  original  wall  of  enceinte,  as  the  buttresses  of  the  latter, 
which  are  adjacent  to  the  keep,  have  evidently  been  completed  so  as  to 
form  the  exterior  of  the  enceinte,  and  have  afterwards  been  incorporated 
with  the  keep ;  but  their  original  form  and  details  have  not  been  altered, 
and  may  still  be  seen.  This  keep  may  therefore  be  regarded  as  one  of  the 
earliest  examples  of  that  class  of  structure  of  which  specimens  of  all  dates 
up  to  the  fourth  period  occur,  added  to  the  simple  wall  of  enceinte  of 
these  primitive  castles.  The  building  at  the  west  side  consists  of  a 
round  tower  25  feet  in  diameter  at  the  north-west  angle  (Fig.  22), 
and  a  rectangular  structure  adjoining  it.  These  extend  to  the  verge 


FIG.  21.— Castle  Swin.    View  from  North-East. 

of  the  rock  next  the  sea,  and  would  strengthen  the  castle  at  this 
point.  The  round  tower  is  well  furnished  with  loopholes,  and  was, 
no  doubt,  crowned  with  a  machicolated  parapet.  It  commands  a  good 
view  of  the  loch  and  would  form  a  useful  post  of  observation.  There 
is  a  deep  and  carefully  built  and  vaulted  pit  in  the  basement,  with  a 
drain  led  from  it  to  the  sea,  and  an  aperture  in  the  floor  of  the  tower 
above.  This  no  doubt  formed  the  entrance  to  the  prison  or  dungeon  in 
the  vault  beneath  from  the  guard-room  in  the  tower.  The  adjoining 
square  building  may  have  comprised  the  quarters  for  the  garrison. 

In  the  large  courtyard  some  foundations  of  walls  are  observable,  but 
they  do  not  appear  to  be  very  old.  There  is  also  a  well  in  the  north-east 
angle. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


62    — 


CASTLE    SWIN 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


_  63  — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


The  history  of  this  castle  is  almost  a  blank.  Like  the  other  similar 
fortresses  of  the  West  it  was  probably  erected  by  royal  command  in  the 
thirteenth  century.  It  afterwards  became  one  of  the  castles  of  the 
Lord  of  the  Isles.  In  1472  it  was  in  the  keeping  of  Hector  Torquil 
Macneill,  the  founder  of  the  Macneills  of  Gigha,  who  held  it  for  the 
Lord  of  the  Isles.  In  1481,  after  the  resignation  of  the  Eai'l  of  Ross 
and  the  insurrection  of  his  son  Angus,  the  keepership  of  Castle  Swin, 
now  again  a  royal  castle,  was  granted,  along  with  lands  in  Knapdale, 
formerly  held  by  the  Lord  of  the  Isles,  to  Colin,  first  Earl  of  Argyll. 
Like  so  many  other  castles  in  the  West,  Swin  was  destroyed  by  Colkitto 
in  the  seventeenth  century. 


SKIPNESS  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE.* 

This  extensive  and  well-preserved  fortress  is  situated  at  the  north- 
eastern point  of  Kintyre,  opposite  the  opening  between  Bute  and  Arran, 
where  the  waters  of  Kilbrannan  Sound,  Loch  Fyne,  and  the  Sound  of  Bute 


Fio.  23 — Skipness  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

all  meet.  It  stands  on  a  level  platform,  reached  by  a  gently  sloping  path, 
about  250  yards  distant  from  the  sea,  from  which  it  has  a  most  imposing 
aspect,  with  its  embattled  keep  rising  proudly  above  its  broad  and  massive 
walls  and  towers  (Fig.  23).  The  castle  was,  in  all  probability,  surrounded 

*  We  are  indebted,  for  much  valuable  information  regarding  this  castle,  to  R.  C. 
Graham,  Esq.  of  Skipness,  who  also  kindly  allowed  us  to  examine  a  complete  set  of 
plans  and  elevations  of  the  building  prepared  by  Professor  Middleton  of  Cambridge. 


FIRST   PERIOD 


_  64  — 


SKIPNESS   CASTLE 


FIG.  24.— SMpness  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor,  and  Section  through  Keep  and  Courtyard. 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


—  65 


FIRST    PERIOD 


by  a  ditch  and  mound.  The  present  road  along  the  north  side  seems  to 
occupy  the  site  of  the  former,  and  probably  the  ground  inclining  upwards 
from  the  road  is  part  of  the  sloping  glacis. 

During  the  building  in  1880  of  the  present  house  (which  stands  near 
the  castle),  "  the  workmen,"  Mr.  Graham  states,  "  found  a  soft  piece  of 
ground  different  from  the  surrounding  soil,  and  had  to  dig  into  it  to  get 
a  solid  bottom  for  the  foundation  of  the  building." 

Mr.  Graham  believes  this  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  moat.     At  a 


Fio.  25.— Skipness  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

distance  of  two  hundred  yards  to  the  west  a  natural  hollow  forms  the 
channel  of  a  small  stream,  into  which  the  north  and  south  ditches  may 
have  debouched. 

This  castle  (Fig.  24)  resembles  in  its  general  arrangements  several  of 
those  in  the  islands  already  described  belonging  to  the  first  period.  It 
consists  of  a  great  quadrangle  surrounded  with  a  powerful  wall  of  enceinte, 
and  having  a  large  keep  in  the  north-east  corner  of  a  later  date  than  the  walls 
of  enceinte,  and  partly  built  upon  them.  A  square  tower  projects  outwards 
from  the  west  wall  of  enceinte,  and  another  square  tower  is  situated  at 


FIRST   PERIOD 


—   66   — 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


the  south-east  corner  of  the  enclosure.  The  walls  of  enceinte  vary  in 
thickness  from  6  feet  to  8  feet  6  inches,  and  are  about  35  feet  high. 
Along  the  south  front  they  extend  95  feet,  including  the  south-east  tower. 
The  greatest  length  is  along  the  east  side,  which  measures  133  feet.  The 
interior  of  the  courtyard  measures  about  109  feet  by  66  feet. 

A  two-story  building  extended  along  the  inside  of  the  south  curtain, 


FIG.  26.— Skipness  Castle.    Interior  of  Court. 

as  shown  by  dotted  lines  on  the  ground  plan,  and  adjoining  the  south-east 
tower  there  was  a  turret  stair  in  connection  with  that  building,  shown 
also  by  dotted  lines.  This  stair  led  to  the  first  floor,  and  continued  to 
the  straight  stair  shown  on  the  first-floor  plan  (Fig.  25).  By  this  stair 
access  was  gained  to  the  parapet  walk  round  the  walls  and  to  upper  stories 
in  the  towers.  A  part  of  this  inner  wall  still  remains  hanging  out  in  the 
air  a  distance  of  five  or  six  feet  from  the  top  of  the  east  curtain,  and 


SKIPNESS   CASTLE  67    FIRST    PERIOD 

another  circular  mass  of  masonry  immediately  over  the  doorway  of  the 
straight  stair  (shown  by  a  rounded  line  on  the  first-floor  plan)  likewise 
overhangs  considerably,  all  as  shown  by  the  sketch  in  Fig.  25. 

The  whole  of  this  wall  and  stair  existed  till  within  living  memory,  but 
they  were  removed  many  years  ago,  after  which  some  building  was  done 
to  prevent  the  overhanging  stonework  from  falling. 

Another  range  of  buildings  lay  along  the  west  curtain,  and  seems  to 
have  been  returned  along  the  north  wall  in  a  line  with  the  keep.  This  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  in  the  inner  side  of  these  walls  (the  south, 
west,  and  north)  there  are  on  the  first  floor  wide  window-openings  splayed 
to  narrow  slits  at  the  outside,  and  roofed  with  a  sconsion  arch.  These 
slits  along  the  west  wall  are  from  3  to  4  inches  wide  and  5  feet  8  inches 
high,  with  a  square  recess  in  the  wall  7  feet  7  inches  wide.  Those  along 
the  south  wall  are  different  on  Plan  (except  the  one  immediately  west  of 
the  entrance),  being  simply  splayed  openings  about  5  feet  7  inches  wide 
inside,  with  slits  8  inches  wide  by  about  4  feet  high ;  many  of  them  hav- 
ing the  crossed  form  frequently  adopted  in  early  castles.  There  seem  to 
have  been  no  buildings  along  the  inside  of  the  east  curtain. 

Originally  the  castle  had  one  main  entrance,  which  still  exists  in  the 
south  curtain,  in  the  form  of  a  projecting  portcullised  gateway  8  feet  9  inches 
wide  (Fig.  27).  There  was  also  a  postern  in  the  east  wall  adjoining  the 
keep,  which  is  now  built  up.  Exactly  over  it  the  indication  of  a  window 
occurs,  also  built  up.  This  was  possibly  used  for  access  to  a  hoarding 
over  the  postern.  The  round  arched  gateway  in  the  north  curtain  (see 
Figs.  26  and  28)  has  been  opened  up  during  the  later  occupancy  of  the 
building,  and  the  door  in  the  south-east  tower,  shown  by  white  lines  on 
the  Plan,  is  modern.  The  entrance  gateway,  along  with  the  portcullis 
room  above  it,  are  of  considerable  interest  from  the  resemblance  they  bear 
to  the  gateways  of  other  primitive  castles,  such  as  Swin  and  Duart.  Un- 
fortunately the  portcullis  chamber  is  in  a  very  ruinous  and  dilapidated 
condition.  The  floor,  which  was  supported  by  the  vaulted  roof  of  the 
gateway,  is  gone,  and  the  position  of  the  portcullis  slit  can  only  be  deter- 
mined by  the  grooves  in  the  jambs  below ;  while  the  double-arched  and 
ribbed  roof  is  in  a  very  frail  condition.  This  roof,  the  vaulting  of  which 
is  of  a  peculiar  form,  is  shown  on  the  section  (Fig.  24)  looking  from  the 
courtyard.  In  order  to  clearly  explain  this  in  connection  with  the 
gateway  beneath,  the  inner  wall  of  the  room  is  supposed  to  be  removed, 
and  the  interior  of  the  room  is  drawn  in  strong  lines. 

The  portcullis  room,  which  is  constructed  in  the  thickness  of  the 
wall  (here  9  feet  9  inches),  is  14  feet  2  inches  long  by  4  feet  10  inches 
wide  and  10  feet  high  to  the  apex  of  its  arched  roof.  It  was  entered 
from  the  first  floor  by  a  doorway  now  built  up.  Originally  the  front  wall 
of  this  room  was  no  doubt  different  from  what  it  is  now,  and  it  was  prob- 
ably provided  with  a  wooden  hoarding,  such  as  that  shown  in  the  restored 


FIRST   PERIOD 


—    68   — 


SKIPNESS   CASTLE 


sketch  (Fig.  27).  It  is  quite  evident  that  the  masonry  has  been  disturbed, 
and  the  fortified  features  removed,  possibly  at  the  same  time  that  the 
northern  arched  entrance  already  referred  to  was  opened  out,  and  cer- 
tainly at  a  time  when  defence  was  no  longer  of  paramount  importance. 
The  outer  arch  of  the  portcullised  gateway  was  then  altered,  and  a  pointed 
arch  constructed  of  long  thin  stones,  exactly  similar  in  workmanship  to 
those  of  the  north  gateway,  and  entirely  different  in  style  from  the  bold, 
massive,  and  splayed  voussoirs  forming  the  ancient  inside  arches,  seen  in 
sketch  (Fig.  27).  When  this  new  arch  was  erected,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
but  that  the  wall  above  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt  as  we  now  see  it. 


(Present  state.) 


FIG.  27.— Skipness  Castle.    Portcullis  Gate. 


(Restored.) 


This  castle  was  clearly  intended  to  be  one  of  uncommon  strength ;  but 
being  easily  assailable  by  sea,  and  the  main  entrance  not  being  strengthened 
by  any  towers,  it  may  be  safely  inferred  that  the  gateway  would  be  de- 
fended with  a  wooden  hoarding  or  a  stone  machicolation.  In  the  angles 
of  the  projection  containing  the  portcullis  room,  two  long  narrow  slits  are 
introduced,  which  command  the  curtains  on  either  side,  and  would  be 
useful  both  for  lighting  the  room  and  reconnoitring. 

In  this  castle,  as  in  others  of  the  same  period,  there  are,  for  the  sake 
of  security,  but  few  openings  introduced  in  the  lower  part  of  the  walls. 

In  the  keep  (which,  however,  as  we  shall  see,  is  of  later  date  than  the 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


—  69  — 


F1KST    PERIOD 


enceinte)  a  single  loop  gave  light  and  air  to  the  basement.  This,  together 
with  a  five-inch  slit  and  a  water-drain  in  the  south-east  tower,  are  the 
only  ancient  openings  discoverable  in  the  lower  walls.  It  is,  however, 
quite  possible  that  in  the  south  wall  of  enceinte  there  were  three  splayed 
slits,  which  are  shown  on  Plan  by  a  recess  and  white  dotted  line,  and  on 
the  section  above  the  inside  formation  of  one  of  these  openings  is  seen  in 
elevation  with  a  round  arched  top ;  but  there  is  no  appearance  of  them 
outside. 

Before  proceeding  farther  it  should  be  observed  that  the  whole  of  that 
portion  of  the  castle  lying  to  the  north  of  the  north-west  tower,  including 
the  keep,  appears  to  be  of  a  somewhat  later  date  than  the  rest.  The 


FIG.  28. — Skipness  Castle.    View  from  Nurth-West. 

original  north  boundary  of  the  castle  probably  extended  across  between  the 
north-west  tower  and  the  keep,  in  the  line  of  the  south  face  of  the  latter. 
The  portion  lying  to  the  west  of  the  keep  was  probably  first  erected,  and  this 
appears  to  have  been  done  at  a  time  not  very  long  after  the  construction 
of  the  castle,  as  the  building  is  in  very  much  the  same  style.  The  windows 
are,  however,  considerably  larger  and  round-arched.  That  in  the  north 
wall  is  well  preserved,  and  is  shown  both  internally  and  externally  in 
Figs.  26  and  28.  There  has  also  been  a  similar  window  on  the  first  floor 
in  the  east  wall  of  this  addition  (see  Figs.  25  and  26),  clearly  -showing 
that  that  wall  was  an  external  one.  This  view  is  supported  by  the  fact 
that  the  base  splay  which  runs  along  the  outer  walls  is  still  preserved  in  the 


FIRST   PERIOD  —   70   —  SKIPNESS   CASTLE 

interior  of  the  keep,  of  which  the  wall  in  question  forms  the  west  side ; 
while  the  angle  quoins  which  still  remain  at  the  north-west  angle  of  the 
keep  (see  Fig.  28)  show  clearly  that  it  was  originally  an  external  salient 
angle.  The  keep  has  evidently  been  built  at  a  later  time,  so  as  to  fill  up 
the  angle  between  the  north  addition  and  the  original  north  wall,  thus 
rendering  the  walls  then  existing  to  some  extent  available.  The  north 
extension  was  probably  added  for  the  purpose  of  giving  a  commodious 
and  comparatively  well-lighted  hall,  such  as  soon  came  to  be  considered 
necessary  in  all  castles  of  any  pretensions.  A  garde-robe  is  constructed 
in  the  thickness  of  the  north-west  angle. 

According  to  this  view  the  original  castle  would  be  a  nearly  square 
enclosure,  with  one  tower  at  the  north-west  angle  and  another  at  the 
south-east  angle.  The  north-western  tower  has  a  projection  of  14  feet 
from  the  face  of  the  wall  by  a  breadth  of  16  feet  4^  inches,  and  enters 
from  the  courtyard  level,  and  also  from  the  first  floor  level,  by  a  narrow- 
pointed  doorway  on  each.  It  consists  of  three  floors  altogether.  This 
tower,  like  a  similar  one  at  Rothesay  Gastle,  seems  to  have  contained  the 
latrines  on  the  three  stories,  with  a  wide  flue  from  each,  the  flues  being 
separated  from  one  another  by  a  built  partition,  as  shown  by  dotted  lines 
on  the  ground  floor  Plan.  The  top  of  the  tower  would  also  be  useful  for 
defensive  purposes. 

The  allure  or  parapet  walk  on  the  top  of  the  east  wall  (which  is  7  feet 

2  inches  thick,  and  29  feet  above  the  ground)  is  in  the  centre  of  the  wall, 
with  the  remains  of  a  parapet  on  both  sides.     The  outer  parapet  had  a 
height  of  about  5  feet,  but  not  much  remains  of  the  inner  parapet.     The 
section,  Fig.  24,  shows  this  arrangement,  on  the  west  wall  instead  of  on 
the  east  wall,  where  this  allure  no  longer  exists,  the  east  wall  being  now 
sloped  on  the  top  and  cemented  to  protect  it  from  the  weather. 

The  keep,  as  already  mentioned,  stands  in  the  north-east  angle  formed 
between  the  original  north  wall  and  the  northern  addition.  It  is  oblong 
on  Plan,  and  measures  36  feet  3  inches  from  north  to  south,  by  32  feet 
10^  inches  from  east  to  west;  52  feet  4  inches  from  the  ground  to  the 
top  of  the  parapet,  and  62  feet  to  the  chimney  top.  A  turret  projects 
6  feet  4 1  inches  beyond  the  face  of  the  north-east  angle,  and  has  a 
breadth  of  11  feet  1  inch. 

The  ground  floor  of  the  keep  is  vaulted  (being  the  only  apartment 
throughout  the  castle  so  treated),  and  enters  from  the  courtyard.  It 
has  no  communication  with  the  upper  floors  except  by  a  hatchway  in  the 
north-west  corner  of  the  vault.  There  is  a  recess  about  7  feet  wide  by 

3  feet  deep  in  the  north  wall,  carried  up  almost  to  the  roof,  where  it  is 
finely  arched  over.     This  no  doubt  formed  the  ingoing  of  a  loop,  with 
a  shot-hole  beneath  opening  to  the  north.     A  splay,  as  above  mentioned 
(see    the    Section,    Fig.    24),    runs    all    along    the    inside    of    the   west 
wall,  which,  together  with  the  built-up  window  above,  proves  that  this 


SKIPNESS   CASTLE 


—   71    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


wall  was  once  one  of  the  outer  walls  of  the  enceinte  before  the  keep 
was  built,  the  splay  being  merely  the  base  which  is  seen  all  round  the 
outside  of  the  castle.  The  present  outside  stair  to  the  first  floor  (Fig.  26) 
is  of  comparatively  modern  construction,  being  doubtless  of  the  period 
when  the  entrance  through  the  north  wall  was  made.  In  connection 
with  this  stair  the  east  wall  of  enceinte  has  been  thinned  off  so  as  to 
allow  of  a  door  being  opened  into  the  keep  at  the  first  floor  level  (see 
Figs.  25  and  26). 

The  original  entrance  to  the  keep  was  undoubtedly  from  the  allure 
of  the  east  wall  of  enceinte  at  the  south-east  corner  of  the  keep,  where, 
at  a  height  of  about  30  feet  above  the  ground,  are  the  marks  of  a  door 
on  the  outside  of  the  keep,  although  no  indication  of  it  can  now  be 
traced  on  the  inside  of  the  wall.  The  entrance  was  thus  on  the  second 


SECOND    FLOOR 


u    ii  u    t ' 
BATTLEMENTS 


—I 


FIG.  29.— Skipness  Castle.    Plans  of  Second  and  Third  Floors  and  Battlements. 

floor,  as  was  also  the  case  in  the  keep  of  Lochleven  Castle.  From  this 
floor  a  straight  stair,  entering  by  the  door  in  the  east  wall,  led  down  to 
the  first  floor,  and  a  wheel-stair  in  the  north-east  angle  conducted  to 
the  third  floor  and  the  battlements.  There  was  also  an  outer  door,  as 
above  mentioned,  giving  access  to  the  basement  from  the  courtyard. 

Each  of  the  three  upper  floors  (Fig.  29)  consists  of  a  single  chamber 
about  25  feet  by  19  feet,  with  small  closets  in  the  projecting  turret.  The 
recess  or  drain  at  the  base,  and  the  flues  above,  show  that  this  turret 
was  constructed  for  garde- robes  on  the  different  floors.  But  the  loops 
in  it  being  formed  so  as  to  give  a  view  in  all  directions  indicate  that  it 
was  also  available  for  defence. 

On  the  first  floor  the  closet  has  pointed  arched  ribs,  as  s,hown  by 
dotted  lines  on  Plan,  and  has  one  entrance  directly  from  the  hall,  and 
another  from  the  ingoing  of  the  window  in  the  north  wall,  but  the 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—  72  — 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


former  is  probably  not  original.  The  south  window  of  this  floor  has 
been  enlarged:  i,o  its  present  size  in  recent  times.  This  apartment  has 
no  special  fireplace,  but  is  provided  with  a  flue  in  the  thickness  of  the 
wall  over  the  north  window,  where  a  brazier  or  dog-grate  could  be 
placed.  A  door  gives  access  to  the  straight  stair  in  the  east  wall 
leading  to  the  second  floor,  and  also  to  the  new  door  and  outside 
staircase  already  referred  to. 

A  fireplace  has  been  inserted  in  the  second  floor,  and  the  adjoining 
closet  in  the  wall  built  up  to  allow  of  its  introduction. 

From  this  level  a  circular  wheel-stair  constructed  of  timber  leads 
to  the  floor  above  and  to  the  battlements,  where  there  is  a  capehouse 
having  a  room  with  a  fireplace  and  a  garde-robe  in  the  turret.  It  is 
evident  from  the  nature  of  the  workmanship  that  this  capehouse  is  of 
much  more  recent  construction  than  the  keep.  The  latter,  with  its 
corbelled  parapet  (Figs.  26  and  28),  is  in  the  style  of  the  third  period, 


Fia.  30.— Skipness  Castle.    Plan  of  the  Chapel. 

while  the  capehouse  and  the  gables  of  the  main  keep  seem  to  have  been 
added  in  the  seventeenth  century. 

At  a  distance  of  about  320  yards  south-east  from  the  castle,  and  close 
to  the  sea,  stands  the  chapel,  which,  according  to  Captain  White  in  his 
work  entitled  Kintyre,  is  referred  to  in  a  charter  of  the  thirteenth  century 
(to  be  quoted  further  on)  as  the  Chapel  of  St  Columba. 

Around  it  is  the  graveyard  which,  as  usual  in  mediaeval  times,  does 
not  extend  along  the  north  side  of  the  sacred  edifice.  The  chapel  is 
now  a  roofless  ruin,  but  is  otherwise  fairly  well  preserved.  It  measures 
(see  Plan,  Fig.  30)  inside  the  walls  73  feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west 
by  19  feet  1  inch  from  north  to  south,  with  side  walls  12  feet  high,  and 
a  gable  at  each  end.  Its  external  dimensions  are  82  feet  by  27  feet, 
and  it  is  thus,  according  to  Mr.  Muir,  the  largest  ecclesiastical  structure 
in  Kintyre,  and  probably  in  the  whole  of  Argyll,  the  cathedral  of  lona 
alone  excepted.  But  this  is  undoubtedly  an  error,  as  Dunstaffnage  Chapel 
(Vol.  I.  p.  90)  is  considerably  longer,  and  Captain  White  points  out 
that  the  church  at  Saddell  in  Kintyre  is  likewise  larger.  Mr.  Muir 
pronounces  it  to  be  in  the  advanced  first  pointed  style  which  prevailed 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


—  73  — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


in  Scotland  during  the  thirteenth  century.  The  entrance  doorway  is  in  the 
south  wall,  20  feet  6  inches  from  the  west  end,  and  in  the  opposite  wall 
there  is  another  door,  at  the  distance  of  10  feet  11  inches  from  the  west 
end :  both  of  these  are  pointed.  The  chancel  door  is  also  in  the  south  wall, 
1 2  feet  2  inches  from  the  east  gable,  and  is  round  arched.  The  jamb  and 
arch  mouldings  of  the  first  mentioned  doors  are  extremely  simple,  as  will  be 
seen  from  the  sketch  section  (Fig.  31) ;  the  other  two  are  built  up,  as  are 
also  the  three  eastmost  windows  of  the  south  side,  large  family  monuments 
having  been  erected  against  that  wall.  The  principal  entrance,  as  will  be 
seen  from  the  Plan,  has  a  bar-hole  inside  for  securing  the  door,  an  unusual 
arrangement  in  a  church.  At  Stobhall  there  is 
a  similar  provision  for  security,  the  necessity 
for  which,  however,  is  easily  understood,  the 
church  having  been  built  at  the  Reformation 
in  connection  with  the  old  and  proscribed  faith, 
and  there  being  a  dwelling- house  attached, 
entering  by  the  same  door.  At  Temple  Church, 
Midlothian,  also  a  similar  bar-hole  occurs. 

The  windows,  of  which  there  are  four  on  the 
south  side,  two  on  the  north,  and  one  in  the  west 
gable,  are  all  pointed  lancets.  The  daylight  of 
the  side  windows  measures  13|  inches  wide  by 
4  feet  2  inches  high,  splayed  inside  to  about  50 
inches  wide  (Fig.  31).  The  east  window  is  of 
two  lights  with  a  central  mullion  (Fig.  32). 
The  daylight  of  each  lancet  is  15%  inches  by 
8  feet  1 1  inches  high.  The  splays  of  the  mullion 
and  the  jamb  mouldings  do  not  coincide,  as  will  be  observed  from  Fig.  32, 
which  probably  arises  from  the  mullion  having  been  renewed. 

A  rough  recess,  as  if  formerly  a  piscina  or  locker,  exists  in  the  south 
wall  at  the  east  end.  Over  the  west  gable  there  has  been  a  belfry,  but  it 
is  now  quite  ruinous.  Beneath  it  is  a  square-headed  slit,  with  a  hole 
through  the  wall  beneath,  worn  vertically  to  the  outside  by  the  action  of 
the  bell-chain.  The  copestones  are  all  wrought  on  level  beds  as  a  part  of 
the  walling,  to  which  excellent  practice  we  probably  owe  the  preservation 
of  the  gables  to  this  day. 

Mr.  Muir  remarks  that  the  castle  (which  he,  however,  does  not  describe) 
"is  supposed  in  part  to  be  coeval  with  the  chapel  itself."  There  can  be 
no  doubt  but  that  they  are  contemporary,  the  few  and  simple  details  of 
each  exactly  coinciding  and  corresponding  with  those  of  other  structures 
of  the  same  date. 

Skipness  Castle  and  the  Chapel  of  St  Columba  thus  form  an  exactly 
parallel  case  with  that  of  Dunstaffnage,  as  in  both  we  have  a  chapel  out- 
side the  castle  walls,  almost  undoubtedly  of  the  same  period  as  the  fortress. 


FIG.  31.— Skipness  Castle. 
The  Chapel :  Details. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


74 


SKIPNESS    CASTLE 


From  the  following  charter,  dated  1261,  it  is  evident  that  both  the 
chapel  and  castle  at  Skipness  were  in  existence  at  that  early  period.  The 
charter,  which,  with  other  information  on  the  subject,  will  be  found  in 
Captain  White's  work,  runs  thus  : — 

"  To  all  the  sons  and  the  faithful  of  holy  Mother  Church  who  may  see 
or  hear  this  present  writing, — Dufgal,  the  son  of  Syfyn,  greeting, — Be  it 
known  to  your  community "  (i.e.  the  Paisley  monks)  "  that  I,  in  respect 
of  charity  and  out  of  my  own  pure  free-will,  and  with  assent  of  John,  my 


FIG.  32.— Skipness  Castle.    The  Chapel :  Details  of  East  Window. 

heir,  have  given,  granted,  and  by  this  present  charter  of  mine  confirmed, 
for  the  welfare  of  my  soul,  of  my  spouses  Juliana  and  Johanna,  and  of 
my  ancestors,  as  well  as  successors,  to  God,  S.  James,  and  S.  Mirinus  of 
Passelet,  and  to  the  monks  now  or  hereafter  ministering  (Deo  Servien- 
tibus)  at  that  same  place,  the  right  of  patronage  of  the  Church  of  S. 
Colmanel,  which  is  situated  in  my  territory  of  Kentyr,  for  the  purpose 
of  a  free,  pure,  and  perpetual  almsgiving,  with  all  pertinents,  lands, 
liberties,  and  easements  (aysiamentis),  which  do  or  shall  appertain  to  the 


ACHANDUIN   CASTLE  —   75   — 

aforesaid  church,  together  with  the  Chapel  of  S.  Columba,  which  is  situ- 
ated close  by  my  castle  of  Schepehinche  (Skipness),  after  the  decease  of 
Clement,  rector  of  the  same  church  ;  to  be  had  and  held  in  perpetuity  by 
the  aforesaid  monks  of  Passelet,  as  freely,  quietly,  peacefully,  and  honour- 
ably, and  quit  of  all  secular  burden,  as  the  aforesaid  monks  hold  and 
possess,  other  churches  by  any  one's  gift  throughout  the  whole  kingdom  of 
Scotland,"  <fec.,  &c. 

Captain  White  is  of  opinion  that  the  castle  "may  safely  be  referred 
to  the  twelfth  or  thirteenth  century,  or  even  earlier." 

From  the  above  charter  the  chapel  and  the  oldest  part  of  the  castle 
were  undoubtedly  in  existence  in  1262,  and,  judging  from  their  style, 
they  probably  belong  to  the  earlier  part  of  the  thirteenth  century.  As 
has  been  already  pointed  out,  the  keep  is  a  later  building  than  the  other 
portions  of  the  castle,  and  probably  dates  from  the  fifteenth  century. 

Skipness  was  originally  a  castle  of  the  Macdougals,  and  afterwards 
passed  with  the  most  of  Argyll  into  the  hands  of  the  Campbells.  Early  in 
the  sixteenth  century  the  famous  Campbell  of  Cawdor,  with  the  Captain 
of  Skipness,  acted  as  the  coadjutors  of  the  Earl  of  Argyll  in  connection 
therewith.  In  Paterson's  Ayrshire  Families  (Vol.  I.  p.  290)  we  learn  that 
Sir  John  Montgomerie  of  Hassilhead,  who  was  slain  at  Flodden  in  1513, 
left  two  children,  one  of  whom,  Marion,  was  married  (third  marriage)  to 
John  Campbell  of  Skipnish.  Her  nephew,  Alexander  Montgomerie,  the 
author  of  the  Cherrie  and  Sloe,  resided  for  a  time  at  Skipness. 

The  same  authority  states  that  John  Boyd,  younger  of  Portincross, 
after  his  father's  death,  resided  at  Skipness  with  his  maternal  relations, 
where,  about  the  year  1785,  he  died.  His  mother  was  Grizel  Campbell, 
only  daughter  of  Angus  Campbell,  Esq.,  Captain  of  Skipness.  The  castle 
has  thus  been  occupied  by  Campbells,  or  their  descendants,  till  near  the 
end  of  last  century.  It  is  now  the  property  of  R.  C.  Graham,  Esq. 

It  is  very  satisfactory  to  find  an  important  castle  like  this  in  such  a 
good  state  of  preservation  and  so  well  taken  care  of. 


ACHANDUIN   CASTLE,  LISMORE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

The  fragmentary  ruins  of  this  extensive  structure  (Fig.  33)  occupy  the 
summit  of  a  rocky  conical  hill,  near  the  southern  end  of  the  island  of 
Lismore,  in  Loch  Linnhe.  The  only  tradition  regarding  its  history  is  that 
it  was  the  residence  of  the  Bishop  of  Argyll.  The  see  of  the  bishopric 
was  transferred  in  1236  from  Muchairn,  on  the  south  side  of  Loch  Etive, 
to  this  island.  The  cathedral  stands  about  the  centre  of  the  island.  It 
was  at  one  time  a  large  church,  with  a  full  establishment  of,  buildings 
surrounding  a  cloister,  but  there  now  only  remain  some  portions  of  the 
walls  and  buttresses  of  the  cathedral  (converted  into  the  parish  church), 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    76    — 


ACHANDUIN   CASTLE 


which  are  all  carefully  covered  with  roughcasting.  Some  traces  of  the 
sacristy  and  chapter-house  are  also  observable.  Achanduin  Castle  lies 
about  five  miles  south  from  the  cathedral.  It  has  been  a  great  square 
enclosure  (Fig.  34),  measuring  over  70  feet  each  way  within  the  walls. 
The  principal  entrance  gateway,  leading  into  the  courtyard,  was  in  the 
centre  of  the  north  wall.  From  the  ingoing  a  passage  and  staircase  in 
the  thickness  of  the  wall  led  to  the  upper  floor  of  a  tower  at  the  north- 
east angle,  of  which  some  portions  still  exist.  Of  the  eastern  wall  the 
foundations  only  remain.  Parallel  to  this  are  also  the  lower  portions  of 
an  interior  wall,  indicating  that  there  were  buildings  on  this  side  of  the 
castle.  A  considerable  part  of  the  south  wall  still  stands.  It  is  5  feet  in 
thickness,  but  without  architectural  features.  Only  a  part  of  the  west 


FIG.  33.— Achanduin  Castle.     View  from  North-West. 

wall  is  preserved.  It  contained  two  garde-robes,  the  large  corbels  of  which 
still  project  towards  the  outside.  There  has  also  been  a  doorway  or 
postern  in  this  wall,  one  jamb  of  which  is  preserved,  and  contains  a  bar- 
hole,  while  the  other  side  has  been  demolished.  On  the  outside  of  the 
wall  opposite  this  postern  a  square  tower  or  landing  is  built  up  to  the 
level  of  the  courtyard,  which  is  7  feet  or  so  above  that  of  the  ground  out- 
side. This  may  be  the  foundation  of  a  tower  or  some  kind  of  construction 
for  the  defence  of  the  postern,  or  it  may  only  have  been  a  platform  to 
which  access  would  be  obtained  from  the  exterior  by  means  of  a  wooden 
ladder.  There  was  a  landing  of  this  description  at  the  entrance  to  Mear- 
naig,  Dunvegan,  and  Ardchonnal  Castles.  In  the  north  wall  there  occur 
on  the  first  floor  the  remains  of  two  windows,  shown  by  white  lines,  with 
the  narrov  external  openings  and  wide  internal  bays  of  the  early  style. 
The  hill  all  round  slopes  rapidly  down  from  the  castle.  It  is  a  little  less 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE 


—   77    — 


steep  on  the  north  than  on  the  other  sides,  and  some  traces  are  yet  observ- 
able of  a  narrow  tortuous  path  which  wound  its  way  amongst  the  rocks 
up  to  the  gateway. 


FIG.  34.— Achanduin  Castle.    Plan. 


The  general  character  of  the  building  indicates  that  it  belongs  to  the 
first  period,  and  was  probably  erected  in  the  thirteenth  century,  soon  after 
the  see  was  transferred  to  Lismore. 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE,  SKYE,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

This  edifice  is  situated  on  Loch  Follart,  on  the  west  side  of  the  island, 
and  about  twenty-four  miles  from  Portree.  It  was  the  ancient  stronghold 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  Siol  Tormod,  Lords  of  Harris  and  Dunvegan,  of  whom 
the  present  proprietor  of  the  castle  is  the  descendant  and  representative. 
This  family  had  from  David  n.  a  charter  for  the  lands  of  Glenelg,  but 
after  the  annexation  of  the  Earldom  of  Ross  to  the  Crown  in  1476,  Dun- 
vegan  was  held  under  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  From  the  rules  of  the  Privy 
Council  in  1616,  M'Leod  seems  to  have  occupied  the  position  next  in 
importance  to  M'Lean  of  Duart — being  required  to  exhibit  three  relatives 
yearly  to  the  Council,  and  being  allowed  six  gentlemen  in  his  household, 
and  four  tuns  of  wine  per  annum. 

The  castle  of  Dunvegan  is  almost  the  only  fortress  of  the  old  chiefs  of 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    78    — 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE 


-f-4-MH-i-   i     H 

Fio.  35.— Dmivegan  Castle.    Plans. 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE  79    


FIRST    PERIOD 


the  isles  which  is  still  inhabited.  It  has  in  the  course  of  its  long  exist- 
ence undergone  many  changes,  but  its  architectural  history  is  still  quite 
discernible  in  its  structure.  Originally  the  castle  seems  to  have  consisted 
of  a  great  enclosing  wall  like  that  of  Mingarry,  built  round  the  edge  of  a 
platform  of  rock,  surrounded  with  precipitous  sides,  and  situated  close  to 
the  sea.  A  small  sheltered  bay  at  its  base,  branching  off  Loch  Follart, 
forms  a  natural  harbour  protected  by  the  castle.  The  rocky  site  is 
entirely  detached  from  the  mainland  by  what  appears  to  be  a  natural 
chasm,  but  it  has  probably  been  to  some  extent  scarped  artificially. 

An  ancient  doorway  on  the  south  or  seaward  side  of  the  rock  (Fig.  35) 
doubtless  marks  the  original  entrance  to  the  fortress.  From  this  a  narrow 
passage,  5  to  7  feet  wide  and  50  feet  in  length  (see  Plan),  slopes  gradually 
upwards,  with  steps  at  intervals,  to  the  platform  of  the  rock.  The  door- 
way has  been  defended  with  a  portcullis,  the  grooves  for  which  still  remain 
in  the  masonry.  Opening  off  the  centre  of  the  passage  is  a  circular 
vaulted  well,  and  the  passage  itself  was  probably  also  arched  over.  Of 
the  original  wall  of  enceinte,  a  detached  portion  still  survives  in  a  ruinous 
state  at  the  western  point  of  the  rock ;  and  the  wall,  7  feet  in  thickness, 
now  forming  the  northern  side  of  the  castle,  may  have  also  been  part  of 
it,  but  the  remainder  has  been  replaced  with  a  low  parapet. 

As  we  have  seen  was  the  case  in  several  of  the  other  ancient  castles  in 
the  islands,  a  keep  of  the  fourteenth-century  pattern  has  been  erected  in 
connection  with  the  primitive  enceinte.  That  of  Dunvegan  (tinted  black 
on  Plan)  measures  48  feet  by  37  feet,  with  a  projection  of  12  feet  at  the 
west  end,  which  contains  the  guard-room  and  dungeon.  The  former  is  on 
the  first  floor,  nearly  at  the  level  of  the  hall  (marked  "  drawing-room "). 
A  trap  in  the  floor  formed  the  only  access  to  the  dungeon,  which  is  a  square 
pit  about  6  feet  wide  (see  enlarged  Plan).  The  arrangements  of  the  keep 
were  the  usual  ones.  The  ground  floor  consisted  of  vaulted  cellars,  the 
first  floor  contained  the  hall  (now  converted  into  the  drawing-room),  and 
the  upper  floors  comprised  the  lord's  apartments  and  bedrooms.  The 
ancient  walls,  9  feet  in  thickness,  with  their  deep  window-bays,  still 
remain,  but  the  external  aspect  of  the  keep  has  been  modernised,  and  the 
dungeon  wing  is  carried  up  as  a  lofty  tower,  which,  however,  gives  con- 
siderable character  and  effect  to  the  modern  edifice  (Fig.  36). 

No  account  is  preserved  regarding  the  author  of  this  keep,  but  it  is  be- 
lieved that  Alaister  Crotach,  a  chief  of  the  time  of  Queen  Mary,  carried  up  the 
north-east  angle  of  the  walls  in  the  form  of  a  tower  (Fig.  37),  which  is  still  pre- 
served. Its  architecture  corresponds  with  that  date,  and  it  forms  a  picturesque 
example  of  the  same  style  of  design  as  was  then  in  use  on  the  mainland. 

The  intervening  portion  of  the  castle,  between  this  tower  and  the 
keep,  is  attributed  to  the  famous  chief  Rory  More,  who  flourished  in  the 
reign  of  James  vi.,  and  was  by  him  knighted  as  a  reward  for  his  services 
in  maintaining  order  in  this  unruly  region.  The  keep  seems  then  to 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    80   — 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE 


have  been  abandoned  and  a  new  building  erected  in  the  above  position 
in  the  Scottish  style  of  the  period,  containing  vaulted  apartments  on 
the  basement,  and  no  doubt  a  hall  and  private  room  on  the  first  floor. 
The  parapet,  with  balustraded  rail  in  the  Renaissance  style  of  that  time 
(a  portion  of  which  is  still  preserved,  Fig.  37),  completed  the  building 
at  the  eaves,  above  which  rose  a  high  slated  roof,  containing  bedrooms, 
and  an  immense  chimney.  The  latter  features  are  shown  in  the  sketch 
made  by  Captain  Grose  in  1790.  This  part  of  the  structure  has  been 


FIG.  36.— Dunvegan  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

raised  two  stories,  and  large  windows  cut  through  the  lower  wall,  since 
the  above  date.  The  south  wall  of  this  block  has  also  been  removed 
(above  the  basement  floor),  and  rebuilt  so  as  to  give  additional  width 
to  the  dining-room  and  library,  while  several  other  extensions  have 
been  made  as  shown  on  the  Plans.* 

*  We  are  indebted  to  M'Leod  of  M'Leod  for  the  Plans  of  the  castle,  and  to  Miss 
M'Leod  for  very  kindly  pointing  out  to  us  all  the  interesting  features  of  the  building 
and  its  remarkable  and  historical  relics  and  contents,  and  giving  us  an  account  of  its 
traditional  history. 


DUNVEGAN   CASTLE 


—  81  — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


Pio.  37.— Dunvegan  Castle.    View  of  North-East  Tower. 


FIRST    PERIOD  -    82    —  ELLANDONAN   CASTLE 

According  to  Grose's  view,  a  round  tower  connected  Rory  More's 
structure  with  the  ancient  keep,  adjoining  the  base  of  which  a  door  is 
shown  with  steps  leading  up  to  it  from  the  bottom  of  the  rock.  This 
has  now  been  entirely  altered,  an  arch  having  been  thrown  across  the 
space  or  fosse  between  the  mainland  and  the  castle,  and  a  new  building 
containing  an  entrance  hall  and  staircase  erected  instead. 

It  is  interesting  to  find,  notwithstanding  the  numerous  alterations 
which  the  varying  requirements  of  successive  generations  have  rendered 
necessary,  that  so  many  of  the  ancient  features  of  this  renowned  castle 
have  been  preserved ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that,  of  all  the  ancient 
fortresses  of  the  island  chiefs,  this  is  the  only  one  still  occupied  by  the  old 
family.  Here  alone  the  walls  which  sheltered  the  sons  of  the  Siol 
Tormod  during  so  many  stormy  and  turbulent  ages  still  form  the 
hospitable  halls  of  their  descendants,  and  in  more  peaceful  times  have 
given  welcome  and  pleasure  to  such  illustrious  visitors  as  Samuel  Johnson 
and  Walter  Scott. 


ELLANDONAN   CASTLE,  ROSS-SHIRE. 

This  beautifully  situated  ruin  occupies  the  summit  of  a  small  rocky 
island  at  the  junction  of  three  lochs,  being  at  the  eastern  extremity  of 
Loch  Alsh,  where  it  branches  into  Loch  Duich  and  Loch  Long.  The 
situation  is  naturally  strong  and  commanding,  and  was  likely  to  be 
selected  at  an  early  period  for  a  fortress.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been 
originally  occupied  by  a  vitrified  fort,  which  was  replaced  in  the  thirteenth 
century  by  a  castle  consisting  of  a  great  wall  of  enceinte.  Colin  Fitz- 
gerald, son  of  the  Earl  of  Desmond,  was  appointed  its  constable  after  the 
battle  of  Largs.  In  the  fourteenth  century  it  was  in  the  hands  of 
Randolph,  Earl  of  Moray,  who,  in  1331,  adorned  its  walls  with  the  heads 
of  fifty  victims,  as  a  warning  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  district.  During 
the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  Ellandonan  was  a  chief  strength  of 
the  Mackenzies  of  Kintail,  and  many  stories  are  told  regarding  it.  In 
1504  there  was  a  great  insurrection  in  the  Highlands,  which  it  took  the 
king's  forces  two  years  to  quell.  The  castle  was  then  taken  by  Huntly. 
In  1539  it  was  attacked  by  Donald  Gorm  of  Lewis,  a  great  foe  of  the 
clan  Kenzie,  and  although  feebly  garrisoned,  the  assailants  withdrew 
in  consequence  of  the  death  of  their  leader,  who  was  shot  by  an  arrow 
from  the  castle.  In  1719,  after  the  defeat  of  the  insurrection  of  1715, 
the  castle  was  held  by  a  body  of  Spaniards  under  Wm.  Mackenzie,  Earl 
of  Seaforth,  when  it  was  battered  and  ruined  by  three  English  men- 
of-war. 

The  situation  of  the  castle  is  very  fine,  but  unfortunately  its  archi- 
tectural features  are  almost  entirely  destroyed.  The  outline  of  the 


ELLANDONAN    CASTLE 


—    83    — 


enceinte,  which  has  been  of  a  quadrilateral  form  (Fig.  38),  can,  however, 
still  be  traced,  and  some  portions  of  the  enclosing  wall  are  yet  standing. 
At  the  west  side  a  narrow  passage  between  two  walls  seems  to  have 
formed  the  entrance  from  the  lake.  It  then,  doubtless,  contained  a 
steep  staircase  leading  from  the  landing-place  to  the  courtyard  above, 
but  it  is  now  only  a  slope  of  loose  stones. 

The  keep  occupied  the  north-east  angle  of  the  enclosure.  Like  the 
keeps  of  several  of  the  other  Western  castles  it  was  probably  erected  in  the 
fourteenth  century ;  its  north  and  east  walls  seem  to  have  been  raised 
upon  the  older  wall  of  enceinte  (Fig.  39).  It  was  a  rectangular  structure 


Fio.  38.— Ellandonan  Castle.    Plan. 

57  feet  long  by  43  feet  wide,  with  walls  about  10  feet  in  thickness.  The 
foundations  exist  all  round,  and  fragments  of  the  north  and  south  walls  are 
standing  of  considerable  height,  but  almost  entirely  devoid  of  architectural 
features.  The  entrance  door  was  at  the  south-east  angle — one  jamb,  with 
the  bar-hole,  being  still  preserved.  The  staircase  was  probably  carried 
up  in  the  adjoining  angle  of  the  wall,  but  of  this  there  is  now  no  trace. 
A  narrow  loop  occurs  in  the  south  wall,  not  far  from  the  doorway,  and 
the  remains  of  a  wall -chamber  are  traceable  in  the  west  wall. 

A  remarkable  structure  still  survives  on  the  east  side  of  the  castle. 
This  consists  of  a  heptagonal  tower  20  feet  in  diameter  internally,  placed 
at  a  considerably  lower  level  than  the  courtyard  of  the  castle.  This 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    84    — 


ELLANDONAN   CASTLE 


DUNTROON    CASTLE  —    85    FIRST    PERIOD 

enclosure,  which  was  always  open  to  the  sky,  seems  to  have  been  a  water 
tank.  It  still  contains  water,  but  it  is  of  a  very  stagnant  and  unwholesome 
appearance.  There  is  possibly  a  spring  in  it,  as  in  the  similar  rock  on 
which  stands  the  castle  of  Kismull  in  Barra,  and  the  tower  has  been 
erected  to  secure  it  for  the  use  of  the  garrison.  The  castle  is  connected 
with  the  water  tower  by  means  of  a  long  sloping  passage  or  court,  with 
walls  of  considerable  size  and  strength,  being  about  5  feet  in  thickness, 
and  probably  when  complete  about  15  feet  in  height. 

DUNTROON   CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE.* 

This  structure  occupies  an  ancient  site  on  a  promontory  which  projects 
into  the  north  side  of  Loch  Crinan,  near  the  western  end  of  the  Crinan 
Canal,  and  forms  a  conspicuous  object  in  that  much-frequented  route.  The 
fortress  was  long  in  the  possession  of  the  Campbells  of  Duntroon,  and  is 
now  the  property  of  John  Malcolm,  Esq.  of  Poltalloch.  It  appears  to 
have  been  originally  constructed  as  a  castle  of  the  first  period,  having  a 
great  wall  of  enceinte  (Fig.  40),  about  6  feet  in  thickness,  enclosing  an 


FIG.  40. — Duntroon  Castle.    Plan. 

irregular  space  of  ground  or  rock  about  70  feet  by  50  feet.  The  wall  of 
enceinte  is,  as  frequently  occurs  with  castles  of  this  type,  rounded  at  the 
angles.  It  is  about  24  to  28  feet  in  height,  and  has  a  broad  parapet  walk 
round  the  top,  defended  with  an  embattled  parapet. 

The  entrance  door  is  on  the  north-east  side,  being  that  farthest  from 
the  sea,  and  the  approach  to  it  has  been  strengthened  at  a  late  date  with  a 
lower  crenellated  wall,  which  forms  a  narrow  way  round  two  sides  of  the 

*  The  plan  and  views  of  Duntroon  are  from  sketches  kindly  prepared  by  Mr. 
James  Edgar,  Ri  Cruin,  Lochgilphead. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—   86    — 


DUNTROON   CASTLE 


enceinte  before  reaching  the  doorway.     This  is  seen  in  Fig.  41.     A  house 
of  the  seventeenth  century  now  stands  at  the  southern  angle  of  the  court- 


FIG.  41.— Duntroon  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

yard,  and  evidently  occupies  the  site  of  an  earlier  one,  of  which  some 
portions  of  the  walls  still  remain  incorporated  with  the  newer  house.  The 
existing  structure  is  of  the  L  plan,  with  a  staircase  turret  in  the  re-enter- 


Fio.  42. — Duntroon  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

ing  angle.  It  measures  53  feet  by  37  feet  along  the  south  and  west  sides. 
The  doorway  is  in  the  usual  position  in  the  staircase  turret,  and  gives 
access  to  a  vaulted  basement  floor  containing  the  kitchen  and  cellars.  The 


DUNSCAICH    CASTLE  87    -  FIRST    PERIOD 

house  is  much  modernised,  but  the  first  floor  has  apparently  contained  the 
hall,  with  the  private  room  at  one  end  and  a  bedroom  in  the  wing. 

Externally  the  house  now  presents  few  features  of  importance,  the  roof 
having  been  modernised,  but  the  crow-stepped  gables  still  survive,  together 
with  a  rounded  angle  at  the  south-east  corner  (Fig.  42),  corbelled  out  to  the 
square  near  the  eaves  (a  sure  sign  of  very  late  work),  and  another  corbelled 
angle  at  the  south-west  corner,  brought  out  to  the  square,  where  it  over- 
hangs above  the  line  of  the  wall  of  enceinte  (Fig.  42). 

The  black  line  within  the  courtyard  shows  the  face  of  modern  erections. 


DUNSCAICH   CASTLE,  SLEAT,  ISLAND  OP  SKYE,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

Dunscaich  has  been  the  site  of  a  castle  from  a  very  early  time.  It  is 
frequently  mentioned  in  Ossian's  poems  as  the  residence  of  Cuchullin, 
where  he  left  his  wife,  "the  Sunbeam  of  Dunscaich,"  when  he  went  on  a 
campaign  to  Ireland.  An  island  close  to  the  existing  castle  bears  the 
name  of  one  of  Ossian's  heroes,  and  contains  the  remains  of  a  vitrified  fort, 
possibly  the  original  castle  of  Dunscaich. 

The  castle,  of  which  the  ruins  are  now  visible,  was  the  strength  of  the 
Macdonalds  of  Sleat,  now  represented  by  Lord  Macdonald,  direct  descen- 
dant of  John,  last  Earl  of  Ross  and  Lord  of  the  Isles.  It  stands  on  an 
isolated  rock,  forming  a  promontory  on  the  north  side  of  the  little  Bay  of 
Ganscavaig  on  the  west  side  of  Sleat,  and  presents  the  remains  of  an  oblong 
structure  about  70  feet  from  north  to  south  and  40  feet  from  east  to  west. 
The  walls,  which  are  now  reduced  to  about  15  feet  in  height,  rise  on  three 
sides  above  a  sheer  cliff  80  to  90  feet  high.  On  the  fourth  side  it  is  cut 
off  from  the  land  by  a  deep  gully,  across  which  a  bridge  was  thrown,  with 
side  walls  only,  but  without  a  roadway,  which  was  in  all  likelihood  supplied 
by  means  of  a  drawbridge.  Beyond  this  the  road  rises  steeply  to  the  castle. 
Both  roadway  and  bridge  were  protected  by  walls  which  still  remain,  and 
the  road  was  further  guarded  by  a  cross-wall  pierced  with  a  gateway.  The 
naturally  strong  position  has  thus  been  very  carefully  secured  by  fortifica- 
tion. The  castle  seems  to  have  been  of  the  primitive  type,  consisting  of 
four  enclosing  walls,  to  which  a  kind  of  gatehouse  has  been  subsequently 
added.* 

ARDCHONNEL  CASTLE,  LOCH  AWE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  fortress,  the  original  home  of  the  Argyll  family,  stands  on  a 
small  island  near  the  eastern  side  of  Loch  Awe.  It  was  primarily  a 
castle  of  the  first  period,  with  a  simple  enclosing  wall  7  to  8  ,feet  thick 

*  We  are  indebted  for  the  above  particulars  to  the  Rev.  Donald  Mackinnon, 
minister  of  the  parish,  and  David  Murray,  Esq.,  writer,  Glasgow. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


ARDCHONNEL   CASTLE 


(Fig.  43),  but  it  has  been  altered  and  operated  upon  in  later  times.  The 
space  within  the  walls  measures  about  63  feet  square,  and  the  walls 
extend  to  the  edge  of  the  rocky  platform  at  the  southern  point  of  the 
small  island  on  which  the  castle  is  built  (Fig.  44).  It  is  situated  a  few 
hundred  yards  from  the  eastern  shore  of  the  loch,  near  Port  Sherrach, 
and  about  8  miles  from  Ford,  at  the  head  of  the  loch.  To  the  north  of 
the  main  castle  lies  a  courtyard  about  55  feet  long,  with  a  very  thick 
wall  on  the  west  side,  and  two  entrances  at  the  north-west  angle.  These 
occur  opposite  one  another  on  a  narrow  neck  of  land  at  the  north  end  of 
the  courtyard.  At  that  point  a  deep  fissure  is  formed  in  the  rock  on 
the  east  side  of  the  island.  This  gives  shelter  on  the  beach  to  a  small 


FIG.  43. — Ardchonnel  Castle.    Plan. 

landing  place  for  boats,  from  which  some  rude  steps  ascend  in  the  crevice 
formed  between  the  perpendicular  faces  of  rock  to  the  postern.  The 
approach  is  thus  well  defended  by  nature,  as  well  as  by  the  battlements 
of  the  courtyard  wall  above.  The  gateway  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
narrow  neck  (which  is  only  about  17  feet  wide)  seems  to  have  been  the 
principal  entrance  to  the  courtyard.  It  is  6  feet  6  inches  wide,  and  has  a  bar- 
hole  in  the  wall  on  each  side.  A  platform  has  been  raised  outside  this 
gateway  to  the  level  of  the  courtyard,  with  perpendicular  sides  towards 
the  exterior,  where  the  ground  is  considerably  deeper  than  the  courtyard. 
This  platform  would  thus  have  to  be  approached  by  means  of  a  ladder. 


AKDCHONNEL   CASTLE 


—   89   — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


The  wall  along  the  east  side,  both  of  the  courtyard  and  castle,  is  con- 
siderably thinner  than  the  other  walls,  and  has  probably  been  rebuilt 
at  a  late  date.  The  entrance  from  the  courtyard  to  the  castle  itself  is, 
as  usual,  small,  being  only  3  feet  wide,  and  is  provided  with  a  bar-hole 
in  the  wall.  This  doorway  is  at  the  height  of  a  story  above  the  level 
of  the  ground  within  the  castle,  and  there  seems  to  have  been  a  platform 
leading  round  the  west  side  from  the  entrance  to  the  door  into  the 
habitable  buildings,  which  lie  along  the  south  side  of  the  enclosure. 
Part  of  this  platform  is  still  in  existence,  giving  access  by  an  open 
staircase  to  the  battlements,  and  also  to  an  apartment  with  a  large 
fireplace,  which  was  probably  the  hall.  The  rest  of  the  buildings  at 
this  point  are  too  ruinous  to  be  distinguishable;  but  possibly  the  hall 
extended  as  far  as  the  cross-wall  shown  on  Plan  (unshaded,  as  it  scarcely 
rises  above  the  level  of  the  floor).  The  private  room  possibly  extended 


FIG.  44.— Ardchonnel  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

beyond  this,  with  a  small  inner  apartment  in  the  angle  tower.  The 
fireplace  at  the  west  end  may  thus  have  served  for  both  kitchen  and 
hall ;  or  the  kitchen  may  have  been  screened  off  from  the  hall  with 
a  partition  at  the  dotted  line,  where  there  is  a  break  in  the  level 
of  the  floor.  Beneath  this  story  there  is  a  range  of  vaulted  cellars 
entering  from  the  level  of  the  inner  courtyard.  The  block  of  building 
next  the  entrance  from  the  outer  courtyard  does  not  appear  to  be  very  old. 
From  the  first  floor  of  this  structure  access  is  got  by  a  very  narrow  passage 
in  the  wall  to  the  square  turret  at  the  north-east  angle  of  the  main  castle. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century,  while  this  castle  was  still 
occupied  by  the  Earl  of  A  rgyll,  it  became  the  prison  of  the  infant  heir 
of  the  Lordship  of  the  Isles.  This  child  was  the  son  of  Angus,  who  had 
rebelled  against  his  father,  John,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  was  carried  off 
by  Athole  after  the  famous  battle  of  the  "Bloody  Bay"  between  the 


FIRST    PERIOD  -    90   -  URQUHART   CASTLE 

followers  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles  and  his  rebellious  son.  The  child  was 
called  Donald  Dubh,  and  being  regarded  as  a  prisoner  of  great  importance, 
was  carefully  guarded  by  Argyll  in  the  castle  of  Ardchonnel.  However, 
when  he  grew  up  he  escaped  from  prison  through  the  fidelity  and  gallantry 
of  the  men  of  Glencoe,  and  in  1503  raised  a  great  army  and  invaded 
Badenoch.  After  being  with  difficulty  overcome,  he  was  again  made 
prisoner  and  committed  to  the  castle  of  Edinburgh,  where  he  remained 
confined  for  nearly  forty  years.  But  in  1545  he  at  last  made  his  escape, 
when  he  was  welcomed  by  the  Islesmen  as  their  chief.  Donald  entered 
into  treaty  with  Henry  vm.  and  Lennox,  and  supplied  a  large  detachment 
in  aid  of  the  latter.  But  misfortune  again  overtook  him,  and  he  fled  for 
refuge  to  Ireland,  where  he  died  shortly  afterwards. 


URQUHART   CASTLE,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

This  ancient  and  extensive  fortress  occupies  a  detached  mass  of  sand- 
stone rock,  which  projects  into  Loch  Ness  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
entrance  to  Urquhart  Bay.  The  site  (Fig.  45)  is  of  irregular  form,  being 
composed  of  two  hills  or  eminences — that  at  the  southern  end  being  con- 
siderably higher  than  the  northern  one,  and  both  being  cut  off  from  the 
adjoining  mainland,  which  rises  rapidly  to  the  west,  by  a  wide  and  deep 
ditch.  This  is  partly  natural,  but  has  undoubtedly  been  deepened  and 
scarped  by  the  hand  of  man.  The  ditch  sweeps  round  the  southern  base 
of  the  highest  point  of  the  site.  On  the  east  and  north  the  loch  forms  the 
boundary,  the  rocky  margin  rising  rapidly  from  the  beach.  The  walls  of 
the  castle  enclosed  a  space  about  500  feet  in  length  by  an  average  breadth 
of  150  feet ;  but  following  the  natural  outline  of  the  site,  they  formed  an 
irregular  shape,  somewhat  like  the  figure  8.  A  fortress  has  undoubtedly 
occupied  this  exceptionally  favourable  position  from  very  early  times.  As 
mentioned  in  the  Introduction,  it  was  erected  to  hold  in  check  the  still 
unsubdued  country  to  the  north-west.  It  formed  a  royal  castle  in  the 
days  of  William  the  Lion,  and  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Durwards  and 
Cumins  in  the  thirteenth  century.  In  1297,  and  again  in  1304,  it  was 
besieged  and  taken  by  Edward  i.  In  the  last  siege,  it  is  by  some  supposed 
that  the  works  erected  by  the  English  during  their  previous  occupation 
enabled  the  defenders  to  make  a  protracted  resistance.  In  Bruce's  time 
Urquhart  became  again  a  royal  castle.  In  1359  it  was  bestowed  on 
William,  Earl  of  Sutherland,  and  in  1371  on  David,  Earl  of  Strathearn, 
one  of  the  sons  of  Robert  n.  In  1398  the  castle  was  placed  in  the  care  of 
a  keeper  appointed  by  Parliament,  and  entries  in  the  Chamberlain's  Rolls 
for  1428-29  show  that  certain  sums  were  expended  in  its  repair.  In  1450 
the  Earl  of  Ross  obtained  possession  of  the  fortress,  but  on  his  forfeiture  it 
again  reverted  to  the  Crown.  After  some  other  changes,  Urquhart  was 


URQUHART   CASTLE 


91    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—   92   — 


URQUHART   CASTLE 


acquired  in  1509  by  the  Grants,  who  had  rendered  good  service  to  the 
Crown  against  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  In  order  to  secure  a  firm  and 
settled  government  in  this  turbulent  region,  James  iv.  granted  a  charter 


Fio.  46.— Urquhart  Castle.    Keep,  from  North-West. 

to  the  lands  and  castle  in  favour  of  John  Grant  of  Freuchie,  in  which  he 
is  required  to  repair,  build  up,  and  construct  in  the  capital  messuage  of 
Urquhart,  a  tower,  with  a  counterscarp  or  rampart  of  stone  and  lime,  and 


URQUHART   CASTLE 


—    93    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


also  within  the  castle  a  hall,  chamber,  and  kitchen,  and  all  other  needful 
houses  and  offices.  As  we  shall  presently  see,  these  conditions  seem  .to 
have  been  implemented  by  the  Grants,  who  have  maintained  their  posses- 
sion, but  not  without  a  struggle,  till  the  present  time.  In  1545  the  castle 
was  attacked  by  the  Macdonalds  and  Camerons,  when  they  carried  off 
twenty  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  powder^  vessel.  The  structure  seems  to 
have  been  abandoned  about  the  beginning  of  last  century,  and  all  roofing 
and  woodwork  have  since  then  disappeared.  The  existing  ruins  retain 
traces  of  several  periods  of  the  eventful  history  of  the  fortress. 

This  castle,  like  so  many  of  the  other  primitive  strongholds,  seems  to 
have  been  originally  surrounded  with  a  great  wall  of  enceinte,  some  portions 
of  which  still  exist,  while  other  parts  have  been  reconstructed  on  the  old 
foundations.  The  form  of  the  enclosure  was,  as  above  mentioned,  that  of  the 
figure  8,  the  two  loops  which  enclose  the  northern  and  southern  eminences 


Fio.  47.— Urquhart  Castle.    Plans  of  Keep. 

being  united  by  a  narrow  neck  of  land.  At  this  narrow  part,  which 
forms  a  hollow  between  the  two  hills  comprised  within  the  castle,  stands 
the  entrance  gatehouse  (Fig.  48),  on  the  west  side,  with  a  long,  narrow  bridge 
or  road  across  the  ditch,  to  give  access  to  it  from  the  mainland.  The  gate- 
house thus  serves  to  fill  up  the  hollow  and  strengthen  the  defences  at  this 
comparatively  weak  point.  Opposite  this,  on  the  east  side,  there  has  evi- 
dently been  a  Watergate  or  postern,  with  a  steep  road  leading  down  to  the 
loch,  which  at  that  point  forms  a  small  bay  with  a  sandy  beach,  suitable 
for  stranding  boats  on.  The  enceinte  was  naturally  divided  into  two 
courts,  of  which  the  northern  was  the  inner  and  the  southern  the  outer. 
The  existing  keep  at  the  north  angle  is  of  later  date,  but  this  point  was 
probably  always  occupied  by  a  redoubt,  being  situated  on  the  least  accessible 
and  most  important  position  of  the  site.  The  western  wall  of  enceinte, 
which  runs  southwards  from  the  keep,  is  evidently  of  great  age,  and  prob- 
ably represents  part  of  the  original  enclosing  wall  (Fig.  46).  The  walls 


FIRST   PERIOD  -   94   -  URQUHART   CASTLE 

on  the  eastern  side  of  this  courtyard  are  also  very  old,  and  have  been 
pierced  with  the  windows  of  buildings  subsequently  erected  against  them, 
but  which  are  now  demolished. 

Of  the  existing  structures  the  best  preserved  is  the  keep  (Fig.  47). 
This  consists  of  an  oblong  tower,  41  feet  long  by  36  feet  wide,  having  the 
south-east  angle  cut  off  so  as  to  suit  the  outline  of  the  rock  on  which  it 
stands.  The  want  of  room  at  this  point  has  also  rendered  necessary  the 
buttress  applied  to  the  north-east  angle.  The  keep  contains  a  vaulted 
basement  floor  or  cellar,  16  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet  6  inches,  with  a  small 
grated  postern  on  the  east  side  for  access  to  the  lake.  From  the  basement 
a  narrow  wheel-stair  leads  to  the  floor  above,  which  is  on  the  level  of  the 
courtyard.  The  chief  entrance  doorway  from  the  courtyard  is  situated  on 
the  west  side  of  this  floor.  As  there  is  a  loophole  in  the  basement  imme- 
diately under  this  doorway,  there  must  have  been  an  open  area  or  ditch  in 
front  of  it,  which  would  be  crossed  by  a  moveable  bridge.  The  walls  are 
from  8  to  .9  feet  in  thickness.  From  the  ground  floor  another  wheel- 
stair  conducts  to  the  upper  floors  and  the  roof.  The  latter  was  probably 
of  stone,  and  rested  on  an  arch,  of  which  traces  still  remain.  The  south 
side  of  the  keep  has  fallen,  and  the  dressings  of  the  windows  have  been 
torn  out  of  the  rest.  Fortunately,  however,  the  parapet,  with  its  corbel- 
ling, have  been  preserved  (Fig.  46).  These  show  a  projecting  square 
bartizan  over  the  doorway,  and  relics  of  square  turrets  roofed  with  gablets 
at  the  north-west  and  north-east  angles  (Fig.  48).  This  shape  of  turret  is 
of  comparatively  late  origin,  and,  together  with  the  style  of  the  corbelling 
of  the  parapet,  indicate  a  date  about  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. This  is  just  the  time  when,  as  above  mentioned,  James  iv.  gave  a 
charter  to  Grant  of  Freuchie,  and  it  is  extremely  likely  that  this  keep  is 
the  tower  which  by  the  said  charter  he  was  bound  to  erect.  It  is  quite 
probable,  however,  that  the  lower  portions  of  the  walls  are  more  ancient, 
those  of  the  basement  being  over  10  feet  in  thickness. 

The  gatehouse  is  the  only  other  building  now  remaining  and  it  is 
very  much  decayed  (Fig.  48).  The  plan,  however,  can  be  distinctly 
made  out,  and  consists  of  a  central  passage  between  two  towers  with 
round  faces  to  the  exterior  (Fig.  45).  The  passage  has  been  defended  by 
a  portcullis  and  a  folding  gate.  In  the  rounded  towers  are  the  guard- 
rooms, from  one  of  which  there  seems  to  have  been  a  postern  or  sally- 
port on  the  north  side.  The  upper  story  and  attics  probably  contained 
barracks  for  the  garrison.  It  is  now  impossible  to  ascertain  what  the 
parapet  was  like,  as  the  upper  part  is  entirely  destroyed.  The  approach 
to  the  gatehouse  from  the  mainland  was  by  a  raised  way  10  feet  wide, 
provided  with  a  drawbridge  in  the  centre,  15  feet  wide.  This  road  is 
so  placed  as  not  to  lead  directly  up  towards  the  gateway,  but  approaches 
opposite  the  north  tower,  so  that  it  is  completely  commanded  and  defended 
by  it. 


URQUHART   CASTLE 


—   95    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    96    — 


LOCII    DOON    CASTLE 


The  wall  of  enceinte  continues  southwards  from  the  gatehouse  along 
the  top  of  the  steep  bank  of  the  southern  or  outer  courtyard  (Fig.  49). 
Some  buildings  seem  to  have  stood  against  it  at  the  south  or  highest 
point,  but  the  foundations  only  can  now  be  traced.  From  the  gatehouse 
a  passage  led  round  the  lower  hill  to  the  keep,  and  also  to  extensive 
buildings  which  occupied  the  eastern  side  of  the  courtyard.  These,  no 
doubt,  were  the  hall  and  the  other  structures  which  were  required  to  be 


Fio.  49.— Urquhart  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

erected  under  the  charter  of  1509,  but  their  outline  can  now  with 
difficulty  be  traced  in  the  turf -covered  mounds.  The  windows  in  the 
central  portion  may  have  been  those  of  the  "  kitchen,"  and  over  it  would 
be  the  prescribed  "hall,  chamber,  and  other  needful  houses  and  offices." 
Other  apartments  have  also  been  constructed  against  the  western  enceinte, 
adjoining  the  keep,  but  they  are  now  reduced  to  ruins  only  a  few  feet 
in  height. 

LOCH   DOON   CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

This  castle  stands  upon  a  rocky  islet  in  Loch  Doon,  a  long,  narrow  lake 
situated  in  the  wild  and  mountainous  region  at  the  confines  of  Ayrshire 
and  Kirkcudbrightshire.  The  loch  is  about  eight  miles  long  by  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth.  Towards  the  upper  or  southern  end  it 
makes  a  sudden  bend,  where  the  reach  containing  the  small  island  on 
which  the  castle  stands  comes  into  view  (Fig.  50).  This  upper  portion 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    97    — 


LOCH    DOON   CASTLE 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—   98   — 


LOCH    DOON   CASTLE 


of  the  loch  is  encircled  with  dark  swelling  hills,  so  that  the  castle  is 
very  secluded,  and,  with  the  deep  waters  of  the  lake  surrounding  it,  must 
have  been  almost  impregnable.  The  situation  would  be  very  difficult 
of  access  in  ancient  times,  and  doubtless  this  circumstance  largely  contri- 
buted to  the  selection  of  the  site.  The  fortress  occupies  nearly  the 
whole  of  "  castle  island,"  except  to  the  south-west,  where  there  is  a  beach 
about  20  paces  in  breadth,  but  this  has  been  laid  bare  by  the  level  of  the 
loch  having  been  considerably  lowered  in  recent  times.  The  surface  of 
the  island  is  extremely  rough,  being  covered  with  huge  boulders  and 


FIG.  51.— Loch  Doon  Castle.    Plans. 

rocks  in  all  directions,  so  that  locomotion  round  the  castle  is  difficult, 
and  access  to  the  entrances  is  specially  rough  and  troublesome.  The  castle 
consists  of  a  great  wall  of  enceinte,  the  form  of  which  (Fig.  51) 
approaches  a  circle  on  Plan,  being  composed  of  eleven  unequal  sides, 
of  which  the  south  side,  which  is  59  feet  long,  is  about  twice  the  length 
of  any  of  the  others,  while  the  opposite  or  north  side,  in  which  is  the 
main  entrance,  is  the  shortest,  being  about  20  feet  in  length.  Measuring 
over  the  walls  the  castle  is  about  91  feet  from  east  to  west,  by  80  feet 
from  north  to  south.  The  walls  vary  in  thickness  from  7  feet  to  9  feet, 


LOCH    DOON   CASTLE 


—    99    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


and  as  they  now  stand  they  are  about  26  feet  high.  A  projecting  and 
splayed  base  course  goes  all  round  the  walls  on  the  outside.  The  masonry 
is  of  the  most  excellent  kind,  being  built  with  large  squared  grey  freestone 
blocks  laid  in  courses,  and  the  corner-stones  being  wrought  to  their 


Fio.  52. — Loch  Doon  Castle.    Entrance  Gateway — Exterior. 

respective  angles  in  the  most  careful  manner.  The  quarry  from  which 
the  stones  were  brought  is  believed  to  have  been  beyond  the  foot  of  the 
loch,  some  10  or  12  miles  distant  from  the  castle. 

The  main  entrance  consists  of  a  fine  Early  English  pointed  gateway, 
9  feet  wide  (Fig.  52).     It  was  defended  with  a  portcullis,  and  an  inner 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    100    — 


LOCH    DOON    CASTLE 


gate  secured  with  upper  and  under  sliding  bars,  the  holes  for  which  are 
well  preserved  (Fig.  53).  Contrary  to  the  usual  practice,  these  bars  seem 
to  have  run  into  the  walls  on  either  side.  Nothing  remains  of  the  port- 
cullis chamber,  which  must  have  existed  above.  On  the  eastern  side  there 
is  a  small  postern  2  feet  8  inches  wide,  also  secured  with  sliding  bars 
(Fig.  54).  The  castle  has  apparently  been  greatly  injured  at  some  period, 
and  afterwards  restored.  The  fine  ashlar  work  distinctly  marks  the  more 
ancient  portions,  while  the  rubble  work,  carried  up  on  the  ashlar  substruc- 
ture, shows  the  portions  reconstructed  (Fig.  55).  Inside  the  walls  a 
bewildering  mass  of  fallen  masonry  chokes  up  the  whole  space,  rendering 


PIG.  53. — Loch  Doon  Castle.    Entrance — Interior. 

any  attempt  to  unravel  the  original  arrangements  somewhat  difficult.  The 
most  conspicuous  portion  of  the  castle  is  the  ruinous  keep,  which  stands 
on  the  inner  side  of  the  west  wall  of  enceinte,  and  projects  into  the  court- 
yard (Fig.  55).  It  measures  about  35  feet  from  east  to  west  by  about  22 
feet  from  north  to  south.  Its  south  and  west  walls  remain  to  a  height  of 
about  40  feet,  but  the  position  of  the  north  and  east  walls  can  only  be 
traced  amid  the  ruins  of  the  ground  floor. 

This  building  is  evidently  of  a  later  date  than  the  original  wall  of 
enceinte.  The  masonry  is  inferior,  being  common  rubble  work ;  and  it 
will  be  observed  from  the  Plan  that  the  north  side  of  the  keep  abutted 


LOCH    DOON    CASTLE 


101    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


against  an  ancient  fireplace  in  the  wall  of  enceinte.  The  way  in  which 
the  ruined  vault  of  the  first  floor  comes  down  on  this  fireplace,  as  shown 
by  dotted  line  on  Plan  and  in  the  Sketch  of  the  fireplace  (Fig.  56),  is 
especially  awkward,  and  at  first  sight  very  unintelligible,  but  is  evidently 
the  result  of  the  above  addition.  A  wheel-staircase  in  the  south-east  angle 
gave  access  to  each  of  the  upper  floors  by  a  pointed  doorway.  Including  the 
basement  the  keep  was  four  stories  high,  and  the  basement  and  first  floors 
were  vaulted.  From  the  first  floor  a  doorway  adjoining  the  curtain,  1  foot 
11  inches  wide,  leads  outwards,  but  the  apartment  or  passage  to  which  it 
led  has  been  removed.  From  the  ingoing  of  this  door  access  is  obtained 
to  a  small  garde-robe  in  the 
wall  of  enceinte,  lighted  with 
a  three-inch  slit,  and  having  a 
shoot  to  the  outside. 

Inside  the  south  curtain 
wall  and  near  its  west  end  (as 
shown  on  the  Plan  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  south  side 
of  the  castle,  Fig.  51),  and 
about  12  or  15  feet  above  the 
ground,  occurs  the  curious 
arched  recess  shown  in  Fig. 
57.  A  little  to  the  east  of 
this  recess  two  corbels  project 
outwards  near  the  top  of  the 
wall  (as  shown  on  the  same 
Plan  and  in  Fig.  55).  Their 
purpose  is  not  now  very  obvi- 
ous, but  they  are  probably  the  FIG.  54.— Loch  DOOU  Castle.  Postern, 
relics  of  some  projecting  work, 

which  was  removed  when  the  walls  were  rebuilt  or  heightened.  At  the 
south-east  and  south-west  corners,  and  about  18  feet  above  the  ground, 
are  two  window  openings.  From  the  ingoing  of  the  former  a  narrow 
stair  leads  to  the  top  of  the  walls  (see  Plan  of  upper  part  of  wall).  This 
doubtless  gave  access  to  the  parapet  walk  which  went  round  the  summit 
of  the  wall  of  enceinte  and  to  the  portcullis  chamber. 

On  the  ground  level  adjoining  the  postern  a  ruined  vaulted  chamber 
exists,  shown  on  Plan  by  hatched  lines.  Access  is  obtained  to  it  by  a  low, 
narrow  opening  about  three  feet  above  the  floor.  Nothing  distinct  can 
be  said  as  to  the  purpose  of  this  building ;  it  has  evidently  been  erected 
after  the  walls  of  enceinte  were  built.  Other  indications  of  construction* 
exist  in  various  parts  of  the  enclosure,  particularly  on  the  north  side  of 
the  postern,  but  amidst  such  a  mass  of  ruins  as  the  courtyard  now  presents 
no  satisfactory  plan  can  be  drawn. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    102    — 


LOCH    DOON   CASTLE 


LOCH    DOON   CASTLK 


—    103    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


An  unworthy  attempt  was  made  some  years  ago  to  bring  down  the 
south  wall,  by  removing  the  outer  courses  of  masonry  along  the  whole 


Jam  6 


FIG.  50.— Loch  Doon  Caatlc.    Fireplace  iu  Keep. 


of  its  length  of  59  feet.  This  result  would  probably  have  happened  before 
this,  if  at  various  times  gentlemen  visiting  the  ruin  had  not  built  in 
props  here  and  there  (Fig.  55) ;  but 
these  are  of  such  a  temporary  and 
unstable  nature,  that  unless  speedy 
and  effectual  measures  are  taken  the 
fall  of  this  wall  cannot  be  long  de- 
ferred. 

Loch  Doon  Castle  "  is  sometimes 
called  Baliol  Castle,  and  is  supposed 
to  have  been  a  seat  of  the  ancient 
Lords  of  Carrick."  *  The  incidents 
connected  with  this  castle  recorded 
in  history  are  few.  The  earliest 
event  we  find  mentioned  regarding 

it    happened    in    1306,    after    the  FIO.  w.— Loch  Doon  Castle, 

signal  defeat  of  Bruce  at  Methven. 

His  adherents  being  forced  to  scatter  and  seek  safety  where  they  could, 
*  Rambles  in  Galloway,  by  Harper. 


FIRST    PERIOD  -    104    -  LOCH    DOON    CASTLE 

Sir  Christopher  Seton,  a  faithful  follower  and  brother-in-law  of  the 
king,  and  an  ancestor  of  the  house  of  Win  ton,  sought  refuge  in  Loch 
Doon  Castle,  then  under  the  hereditary  governorship  of  Sir  Gilbert  de 
Carrick.  Sir  Christopher  was  hotly  pursued,  and  the  castle  was  invested 
by  the  English,  whereupon  Sir  Gilbert,  supposing  the  cause  of  Bruce  to  be 
lost,  surrendered  it,  with  Sir  Christopher  as  a  prisoner,  when  the  latter  was 
taken  to  Dumfries  and  hanged  as  a  traitor.  But  a  letter  of  remission  was 
granted  by  Robert  i.  to  Sir  Gilbert  de  Carrick  for  the  surrender  of  the 
castle  to  the  English,  restoring  him  "  to  the  government  thereof,  with  the 
lands  thereto  belonging."* 

In  1333,  when  Scotland  was  almost  wholly  in  the  power  of  Baliol,f 
"  five  strong  castles,  however,  still  remained  in  possession  of  the  adherents 
of  David  (n.),  and  these  eventually  served  as  so  many  rallying  points  to 
the  friends  of  liberty."  These  fortresses  were — Dumbarton,  Urquhart, 
Lochleven,  Kildrummie,  and  Lochmaben.  "  A  stronghold,"  Tytler  adds, 
"in  Lochdon,  on  the  borders  of  Carrick,  was  also  retained  for  David  Bruce 
by  John  Thomson,  a  brave  soldier  of  fortune,  and  probably  the  same  person 
who,  after  the  fatal  battle  of  Dundalk,  led  home  from  Ireland  the  broken 
remains  of  the  army  of  King  Edward  Bruce." 

Again,|  it  is  recorded  that  in  1510,  in  some  of  the  never-ending  feuds 
of  the  nobility,  William  Crawford  of  Lochmores  (now  Dumfries  House) 
was  concerned  in  the  taking  of  Loch  Doon  Castle  from  the  Kennedies. 
Paterson  §  further  states  that  Loch  Doon  is  supposed  to  have  been  destroyed 
by  fire  in  the  reign  of  James  v.,  about  the  same  period  that  Kenmore  and 
other  strongholds  of  the  nobility  in  Galloway  were  reduced,  the  policy  of 
the  monarch  being  to  increase  his  own  power  by  crippling  that  of  the 
feudal  barons. 

In  his  account  of  the  castle,  Paterson  states  that  the  iron  portcullis 
is  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  and  that  an  attempt  was  made  during 
a  severe  frost  to  land  it,  but  the  ice  broke  and  it  again  sank. 

From  the  above  historical  notices,  as  well  as  from  the  character  of 
the  structure,  it  is  evident  that  Loch  Doon  Castle  belongs  to  the  First 
Period  of  our  Castellated  Architecture.  The  fine  masonry  of  the  massive 
wall  of  enceinte  and  the  style  of  the  doorways  correspond  with  the  work 
a£  Bothwell,  Kildrummie,  and  Lochindorb,  and  are  doubtless  of  the  same 
period.  There  seems  to  be  no  reason  for  supposing  that  the  superior  work 
here  was  executed  during  the  English  occupation.  There  is  nothing  that 
can  be  regarded  as  English  additions  or  improvements.  The  whole  of  the 
original  structure  is  in  keeping  and  of  one  period,  and  there  seems  to  be 
no  doubt  about  it  having  been  erected  before  Bruce's  time.  At  that  date 
the  hall  and  other  buildings  seem  to  have  extended  along  the  west  wall, 
where  the  great  fireplace,  which  is  undoubtedly  of  that  period,  is  situated, 

*  Nisbet's  Heraldry,  Vol.  ir.  p.  37.     +  Paterson's  Ayrshire  Families,  Vol.  i.  p.  355. 
t  Tytler,  Vol.  I.  p.  407.  §  Vol.  n.  p.  468. 


ACHINCASS    CASTLE  -    105    -  FIRST    PERIOD 

and  where  also  the  garde-robe  and  the  arched  recess  above  referred  to  exist. 
As  in  many  of  the  other  castles  of  the  First  Period,  a  keep  was  added  to  the 
wall  of  enceinte  at  a  later  date.  The  partial  demolition  of  the  walls  and 
their  rebuilding  along  with  the  keep  appear,  from  the  style  of  the  latter, 
to  have  occurred  in  the  Third  Period,  and  may  therefore  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  destruction  above  mentioned  in  the  reign  of  James  v. 


ACHINCASS  OR  AUCHEN   CASTLE,  DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

Although  now  greatly  ruined,  this  is  still  a  good  example  in  the  south 
of  Scotland  of  a  castle  of  the  First  Period,  with  its  great  enclosing  wall, 
and  its  well-preserved  ditches  and  embankments.  The  castle  stands  on 
a  high  plateau  above  Beattock  Station,  and  has  been  surrounded  and 
protected  by  marshes.  The  deep  rocky  defile  of  the  River  Garpol,  a 
short  way  to  the  south,  also  afforded  defence  from  that  direction.  This 
fortress  was  in  the  hands  of  Randolph,  Earl  of  Moray,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  fourteenth  century,  but  from  its  construction  it  probably  belongs 
to  the  previous  century. 

It  exhibits  (Fig.  58)  the  plain  unbroken  wall  of  enceinte  of  the  First 
Period,  with  round  towers  beginning  to  appear  at  the  angles.  The  walls 
are  tolerably  complete  all  round,  although  now  reduced  to  some  15  feet 
in  height.  They  are  15  feet-  thick  at  the  base,  and  12  feet  thick  above, 
with  a  set-off  of  3  feet  on  the  inside,  about  6  feet  above  the  courtyard 
level.  The  great  thickness  of  the  lower  part  was  doubtless  intended  to 
resist  mining.  The  tops  of  the  walls  and  towers  were  probably  crowned 
with  a  parapet,  but  of  this  no  vestiges  now  remain.  An  outside  stair- 
case in  the  east  wall  evidently  led  to  the  parapet  walk. 

The  enclosure  measures  over  100  feet  each  way.  It  was  entered  by 
a  zigzag  passage  close  to  the  north-west  tower,  to  which  there  would  be 
a  drawbridge  across  the  moat.  A  deep  fosse,  from  50  to  70  feet  wide, 
extends  all  round  the  castle,  and  the  remains  of  dams  and  other  embank- 
ments show  that  there  were  extensive  outer  defences  and  water  arrange- 
ments, which  were  carefully  considered  and  maintained.  A  broad  dry 
plateau  extends  beyond  the  fosse  towards  the  east,  beneath  which  runs 
a  remarkable  vaulted  tunnel  7  feet  in  height.  This  may  have  been  a 
conduit  for  regulating  the  supply  of  water  in  the  fosse.  There  are 
remains  of  a  similar  built  drain,  within  the  walls,  connected  with  a  deep 
chamber  or  pit  in  the  east  wall,  but  it  is  impossible  to  say  whether  it 
had  any  connection  with  that  in  the  plateau. 

Fragments  of  an  inner  smaller  turret  exist  on  the  top  of  the  south- 
east tower.  The  wall  is  thin,  and  it  seems  probable  that  this  is  a  late 
addition. 

In  the  fifteenth  century  the  castle  seems  to  have  been  in  the  hands 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    106 


HOME   CASTLE 


of  James  Maitland,  a  cadet  of  the  Maitlands  of  Lethington,  from  whom 
branched  the  Maitlands  of  Eccles  (see  Nisbet). 


FIG.  58.— Achincass  Castle.    Plan. 


The  Earls  of  Morton  were  long  proprietors  of  Achincass,  but  no  events 
are  recorded  regarding  its  history. 


HOME   CASTLE,  BERWICKSHIRE. 

This  ancient  seat  of  the  powerful  family  of  Home  stands  about  five 
and  a  half  miles  north  from  Kelso,  on  a  rocky  height  about  700  feet 
above  the  sea,  whence  it  commands  an  extensive  prospect  over  the  valley 
of  the  Tweed,  and  the  level  country  of  the  Merse  as  far  as  Berwick. 
This  castle  is  of  very  early  foundation,  and  formed  for  centuries  one  of 


HOME    CASTLE 


—    107    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


FIRST   PERIOD  -    108   —  HOME   CASTLE 

the  chief  bulwarks  of  the  Borders.  It  is  now,  unfortunately,  only  a 
modernised  ruin,  the  existing  walls  having  been  erected  on  the  old 
foundations  by  the  last  Earl  of  Marchmont  about  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  at  which  time  the  castle  had  been  almost  entirely 
demolished.  The  view  (Fig.  59)  of  the  existing  structure  therefore 
gives  no  accurate  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  ancient  castle,  but 
simply  shows  the  nature  of  the  site  and  extent  of  the  fortress,  which 
is  more  fully  explained  by  the  Plan  (Fig.  60).  It  has  evidently  been  a 
castle  of  the  First  Period,  forming  an  irregular  square  about  130  feet 
across,  and  surrounded  with  a  lofty  enclosing  wall  about  6  feet  in 
thickness.  On  the  north-west  side  the  wall  rises  above  a  precipice  and 
is  sufficiently  well  protected  by  nature ;  but  on  the  other  three  sides 
the  ground  slopes  away  more  gradually.  Flanking  works  and  towers 


FIG.  60.— Home  Castle.     Plan. 

would  therefore  appear  to  have  been  placed  at  the  south-east  and  south- 
west angles  to  strengthen  these  fronts.  From  the  old  loopholes  in  the 
south-west  wall  there  seem  to  have  been  buildings  against  it  on  the 
inside,  and  possibly  the  hall  and  other  apartments  may  have  been  there 
situated. 

In  the  centre  of  the  courtyard  there  is  a  mass  of  ancient  masonry, 
but  it  is  impossible  to  say  of  what  structure  it  formed  part.  What  is 
of  most  value  here  is  the  general  plan,  which  shows  that  the  type  of 
the  old  First  Period  castles,  with  their  great  walls  of  enceinte,  most  of 
the  surviving  specimens  of  which  are  now  to  be  found  in  the  Highlands 
and  Islands,  was  also  common  to  the  lowlands  of  Scotland. 

This  castle  probably  owes  its  origin  in  the  thirteenth  century  to 
William,  a  son  of  the  Earl  of  Dunbar,  who  took  the  surname  of  Home 


MOULIN    CASTLE 


—    109    — 


FIRST    PERIOD 


from  this  territory.  His  descendants  have  always  occupied  a  very 
prominent  position  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation — being  created  Lord 
Home  in  1473  and  Earl  of  Home  in  1604. 

The  castle  stood  many  memorable  sieges :  it  was  taken  by  Somerset 
in  1547,  but  regained  by  Lord  Home  in  1549.  The  Earl  of  Sussex 
battered  and  reduced  it  in  1569  ;  and  again  in  1650  Colonel  Fenwick 
besieged  and  took  it  for  Cromwell.  The  property  passed  in  the  eighteenth 
century  into  the  hands  of  the  Earl  of  Marchmont.  It  now  belongs  to 
Sir  Hugh  Hume-Campbell  of  Marchmont. 


MOULIN   CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

This   fragment   of   a   thirteenth-century   stronghold   stands   on   level 
ground  on  the  higher  platform,  about  a  mile  above  Pitlochrie.     It  has 


V       \ 


Fio.  61.— Moulin  Castle.    Plan. 


been  one  of  those  large  quadrangular  enclosed  spaces  surrounded  with 
high  and  solid  walls,  and  strengthened  with  a  round  tower  at  each  angle, 
like  Kinclaven  and  Inverlochy,  which  constituted  the  fortresses  of  the 
First  Period.  The  castle  (Fig.  61)  has  been  about  110  feet  long  from 
north  to  south,  by  85  feet  from  east  to  west.  The  walls  are  6  feet  in 
thickness,  and  have  been  probably  nearly  30  feet  in  height. 

The   only  round    tower   remaining  is  that    at   the   north-east   angle, 


FIRST    PERIOD 


110 


BRUCE  S    CASTLE 


which  is  20  feet  in  diameter.  The  remains  of  the  ancient  walls  are  but 
scanty  (Fig.  62),  and  even  these  are  said  to  owe  their  preservation  to 
the  tradition  that  a  number  of  people  who  died  of  the  plague  were  buried 
here,  which  caused  the  place  to  be  left  undisturbed.  The  site  is  supposed 
to  have  been  surrounded  with  a  lake  or  marsh,  now  drained,  which  would 
give  great  additional  security. 


FIG.  62.— Moulin  Castle.    View  from  North- West. 

On  the  forfeiture  of  the  Earl  of  Athole,  Bruce  gave  the  estate  to  his 
brother-in-law,  Sir  Neil  Campbell  of  Lochaw,  whose  second  son  was 
known  as  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Moulin,  and  who  probably  resided  in 
the  castle.  This  Sir  John  having  died  without  issue,  the  estate  reverted 
to  the  Crown,  and  was  conferred  on  William  Douglas,  Lord  of  Liddesdale, 
who  resigned  it  in  1341  in  favour  of  Robert,  the  Great  Steward  of 
Scotland. 


BRUCE'S  CASTLE,  TURNBERRY,  AYRSHIRE. 

This  castle,  situated  on  the  extreme  western  point  of  the  coast  be- 
tween Ayr  and  Girvan,  is  now  reduced  to  a  few  fragments  of  founda- 
tions, but  is  of  peculiar  interest  from  its  historical  associations.  It  is 
of  very  ancient  origin,  having  been  the  fortress  of  the  old  Celtic  Lords 
of  Galloway.  By  the  romantic  marriage  of  Margaret,  granddaughter  of 


KINCARDINE    CASTLE  -    111    —  FIRST    PERIOD 

their  descendant  Duncan,  it  passed  in  1271  to  Robert  de  Brus,  and 
thus  became  the  heritage  of  his  son,  King  Robert.  In  1307  its  sur- 
prise and  capture  became  the  turning-point  in  Bruce's  fortune,  when 
he  landed  with  a  few  followers  from  his  retreat  in  Arran — an  incident 
so  picturesquely  developed  in  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  The  castle  has 
evidently  been  one  of  the  First  Period,  with  a  great  enclosing  wall.  In 
Grose's  time  a  good  deal  of  this  wall  still  remained,  together  with  a 
portion  of  what  seems  to  have  been  a  central  keep,  and  traces  of  a 
drawbridge,  but  now  only  the  ruins  of  some  vaults  and  portions  of  wall 
are  traceable.  It  has  been  a  castle  of  considerable  extent  and  strength, 
situated  on  a  rocky  promontory  protected  on  three  sides  by  the  sea.  The 
rock  forming  the  site  is  extremely  hard  and  rugged,  and  throws  out  sharp 
spurs  towards  the  sea.  Between  these  the  waves  wash  in  with  violence, 
and  have  formed  "  coves "  or  narrow  channels  between  the  precipitous 
sides  of  the  rocks.  Two  of  these  coves  appear  to  have  been  arched  over, 
so  that  the  wall  of  enceinte  might  be  continued  across  their  mouths  at  a 
high  level.  The  sea  thus  ran  up  within  the  castle  walls. at  two  points. 
At  the  head  of  the  coves  there  seems  to  have  been  a  wall  with  a  door  and 
staircase,  giving  access  to  the  fortress.  The  coves  might  thus  be  used  as 
a  means  of  approach  from  the  sea,  and  as  places  of  shelter  for  friendly 
boats ;  while  those  of  a  hostile  character  could  be  easily  swamped  from 
the  upper  rocks  enclosed  within  the  enceinte. 

The  keep  appears  to  have  occupied  the  summit  of  the  rock  and  to 
have  been  partly  circular  in  form,  but  is  now  reduced  to  mere  foundations. 
The  base  of  the  entrance  gateway,  with  its  portcullis  groove,  can  still  be 
traced  on  the  landward  side. 


KINCARDINE   CASTLE,*  KINCARDINESHIRE. 

This  ruin  is  situated  about  four  and  a  half  miles  north-west  of 
Laurencekirk,  on  a  wooded  hill  near  the  site  of  the  now  vanished  town 
of  Kincardine.  The  castle  is  supposed  to  be  of  great  antiquity,  and  to 
have  been  occupied  by  Kenneth  in.,  Alexander  the  Lion,  Alexander  in., 
Edward  I.,  and  Robert  n.  Tradition  relates  that  Kenneth  in.  was 
here  murdered  by  Fenella,  a  relative  who  occupied  a  neighbouring 
castle.  Here  too  was  prepared  the  draft  of  Baliol's  abdication. 

The  ruins  (Fig.  63)  still  stand  to  a  height  of  5  or  6  feet  above  ground. 
These  show  a  quadrangular  plan,  fully  130  feet  square,  with  a  thick 
outer  wall,  and  remains  of  apartments  round  three  of  the  sides.  The 
principal  entrance  was  on  the  south  side,  facing  the  Howe,  or  level  plain 

*  We  have  to  thank  J.  Crabb  Watt,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  for  the  plan  and  notes  of 
the  history  of  this  castle. 


FIRST    PERIOD 


—    112    — 


KING    EDWARD   CASTLE 


of  the  Mearns.  The  lower  part  of  the  main  walls  is  sloped  or  battered. 
There  is  no  indication  of  a  nioat,  but  the  castle  was  probably  defended 
by  the  marshes  which  formerly  surrounded  it. 


FIG.  63.— Kincardine  Castle.    Plan. 


In  1532  Earl  Marischal  had  the  town  of  Kincardine  made  the 
capital  of  the  county  ;  but  it  does  not  seem  to  have  thriven.  In  the 
time  of  James  vi.  the  courts  were  removed  from  Kincardine  to  Stone- 
haven,  after  which  the  town  rapidly  declined.  The  market  cross  was 
removed  to  Fetter  cairn,  and  the  houses  have  now  entirely  disappeared. 


KING   EDWARD   CASTLE,  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

A  ruinous  pile  of  what  was  probably  at  one  time  a  castle  of  the  First 
Period.  It  stands  on  a  rocky  spit  of  land  surrounded  on  two  sides  by  a 
burn,  and  has  undoubtedly  been  a  fortress  from  a  very  early  period.  The 
name  associates  it  with  Edward  and  his  invasion,  but  is  believed  to  be  a 
corruption  of  the  much  older  name  of  Kinedar.  The  castle  seems  to  have 
been  built  by  the  Comyns,  and  was  probably  dismantled  by  Bruce,  who 
gave  it  to  Sir  John  Ross.  It  afterwards  passed  through  many  hands,  and 
belonged  amongst  others  to  Alexander  Stewart  of  Badenoch,  and  in  the 
fifteenth  century  to  the  Lord  of  the  Isles. 

In  1495  James  iv.  confirms  a  charter  of  the  land  for  the  keeping  and 
upholding  of  the  Castle  of  King  Edward,  reserving  the  Castle  Hill  and 
Castle. 

In  1509  the  Castle  Hill  and  steading  are  conferred  upon  Lord  Forbes, 
"  with  stones  and  lime  and  the  pertinents  of  the  same,  upon  which  he 


KINO    EDWARD    CASTLE  -    113    -  FIRST    PERIOD 

himself  intends  to  build."  Licence  is  also  granted  him  to  build  a  "castle- 
tower  or  fortalice,  with  defences,  viz.,  barmkin  and  le  Machcolin  with 
moveable  bridges,  viz.,  le  drawbriggis,  iron  gates,  and  all  other  necessaries." 
From  this  it  would  appear  that  the  castle  was  rebuilt  by  Lord  Forbes 
early  in  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  a  courtyard  castle,  with  buildings 
on  three  sides,  and  the  gateway  defended  by  a  ditch  and  drawbridge  on 
the  neck  of  the  peninsular  site.  The  enclosure  was  103  feet  by  56  feot. 
The  buildings  surrounding  it  are  now  reduced  to  masses  of  masonry.* 

*  Spence's  Ruined  Castles  of  Banff,  p.  88. 


THE   CASTELLATED  AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND. 

SECOND  PERIOD— 1300  TO  1400. 

IT  will  be  recollected  that  the  castles  of  this  period  are  of  a  totally 
distinct  character  from  those  of  the  preceding  epoch.  The  great  wall  of 
enceinte  of  the  First  Period  Castles  is  entirely  wanting  in  those  erected  in 
the  fourteenth  century,  except  in  some  cases  where,  as  we  have  above 
noticed,  keeps  were  added  to  the  older  structures.  This  was  frequently 
done  in  the  Highlands  and  Islands,  and  occurred,  as  we  have  seen,  at 
Duart,  Kismull,  Elian  -Tirrim,  Castle  Swin,  and  Skipness ;  as  also  at 
Loch  Doon  Castle,  in  Ayrshire. 

Throughout  Scotland  generally,  however,  the  castles  of  the  Second 
Period  or  fourteenth  century,  being  the  season  of  Scotland's  deepest  de- 
pression, consist  of  simple  towers  designed  on  the  model  of  the  Norman 
keep.  They  are  usually  a  plain  oblong  in  form  ;  but  a  few  have  a  wing  at 
one  corner,  and  thus  constitute  the  first  examples  of  the  L  Plan.  The 
accommodation  of  these  keeps  was  scanty,  and  their  aspect  was  rude.  A 
full  description  of  them  is  given  in  Vol.  i.  p.  143. 

It  has  been  seen  above  that  the  castles  of  the  Highlands  and  Islands 
of  the  First  Period  corresponded  in  style  with  those  of  the  mainland,  and 
we  shall  now  find  that  those  of  the  Second  and  later  Periods  were  also 
similar  in  type  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  including  the  outlying  Hebrides. 
We  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  observe  that  keeps  of  the  same  simple 
design  were  erected  throughout  all  the  subsequent  periods  of  Scottish 
Architecture ;  but  those  of  the  fourteenth  century  may  generally  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  later  structures  by  the  great  thickness  of  the  walls, 
and  by  the  vaulting  of  the  upper  floors  as  well  as  the  ground  floor.  These 
are,  however,  by  no  means  universal  rules.  The  extreme  simplicity  and 
solidity  of  the  erections  are  the  only  safe  guides  to  be  relied  on,  together 
with  written  history,  in  fixing  the  dates  of  these  keeps. 

In  describing  the  castles  of  the  First  Period  we  began,  for  the  reasons 
stated,  with  those  of  the  Western  Highlands  and  Islands,  and  then  gave  an 
account  of  the  few  still  remaining  on  the  mainland.  The  same  order  will 
now  be  followed  with  reference  to  the  simple  keeps  of  the  Second  Period, 


BOKVE  CASTLE 


—  115  — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


after  which  we  shall  describe  a  few  castles  of  the  L  Plan  which  appear  to 
be  of  the  same  date. 


I.  SIMPLE  KEEPS. 

BORVE  CASTLE,*  BENBECULA,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

This  castle,  although  now  reduced  to  a  very  ruinous  state,  is  valuable 
on  account  of  its  history  being  approximately  known.  It  thus  serves  to 
connect  the  style  of  building  adopted  in  the  Hebrides  with  that  in  use  on 
the  mainland  of  Scotland  at  a  definite  period.  The  castle  was  built  by 
Lady  Amie,  first  wife  of  John  of  Isla.  She  was  sister  and  heiress  of 
Ranald  M'Ruari,  possessor  of  the  isles  of  Uist,  Barra,  &c.,  and  the 
Lordship  of  Garmoran.  Her  husband,  at  her  brother's  death,  united  her 


FIG.  64.— Borve  Castle.    Plan. 

extensive  possessions  to  his  own,  and  assumed  the  title  of  Lord  of  the 
Isles.  Thus  was  formed  the  modern  Lordship  of  the  Isles,  the  first 
recorded  instance  of  this  style  occurring  in  1354.  John  of  the  Isles 
afterwards  divorced  this  lady,  and  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Robert 
the  High  Steward.  This  took  place  before  the  death  of  David  n.  in  1370. 
Gregory  remarks,  in  his  History  of  the  Highlands  :  "It  seems  clear  from 
the  unvarying  tradition  of  the  country  that  the  Lady  Amie  had  given  no 
grounds  for  this  divorce.  She  dwelt  on  her  own  estates  till  her  death,  and 
is  said  to  have  built  the  castles  of  Elanterim  in  Moydert  and  Borve  in 
Benbecula."f  The  date  of  Borve  would,  according  to  this  account,  be  in 

*  We  have  to  thank  John  J.  Fyffe,  Esq.,  Benbecula,  and  Alex.  Carmichael, 
Esq.,  Edinburgh,  for  plans  and  views  of  this  castle,  and  for  information  regarding  it. 
t  Note,  p.  29. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    116   — 


BORVE    CASTLE 


the  latter  half  of  the  fourteenth  century,  or  during  the  Second  Period  of 
our  Castellated  Architecture.  The  structure  quite  corresponds  in  style 
-with  the  castles  of  the  mainland  at  that  date,  and  it  is  very  interesting  to 
find  in  the  distant  and  then  almost  independent  islands  a  keep  of  the 
same  style  as  those  erected  at  that  period  throughout  Scotland. 

Benbecula  is  one  of  the  chain  of  islands  which  form  the  Outer  Hebrides, 
and  is  situated  between  North  and  South  Uist.  The  castle  of  Borve  (like 
Lady  Amie's  other  castle  of  Ellan-Tirrim,  already  described),  was  built  upon 
a  rocky  islet,  which  then  lay  at  some  distance  from  the  west  coast  of 
Benbecula.  But  the  drift  sands  from  the  Atlantic  have  filled  up  the 
intervening  channel  and  extended  the  coast,  so  that  the  rocky  site  of 


FIG.  65.— Borve  Castle,  from  South-East. 

the  castle  now  forms  part  of  the  mainland,  and  is  about  1000  yards  from 
the  existing  beach. 

The  structure  was  a  rectangular  keep  (Fig.  64),  of  which  the  south 
wall  is  62  feet  in  length.  The  east  and  west  walls  are  partly  preserved, 
and  are  37  feet  in  length  ;  but  as  the  north  wall  is  entirely  removed,  the 
east  and  west  ends  may  have  been  longer.  The  walls  are  fully  7  feet  in 
thickness,  and  are  very  massive,  with  few  and  small  openings.  Un- 
fortunately, the  structure  is  so  much  decayed  that  few  details  can  be 
observed.  There  are  no  signs  of  vaulting  visible,  nor  any  indication 
of  fireplaces.  The  general  aspect  of  the  ruined  pile  (Fig.  65)  cannot  fail 
to  recall  castles  of  the  same  date  on  the  mainland,  such  as  Dundonald  and 
Torthorwald.  The  original  entrance  doorway  is  in  the  south  wall,  and 


BREACACHA    CASTLE,    COLL 


—    117    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


about  6  feet  above  the  ground.  It  has  the  usual  holes  for  the  sliding  bars 
used  to  strengthen  the  door.  At  a  later  time  a  porch  (indicated  by  dotted 
lines)  has  been  erected  in  front  of  the  door,  and  probably  once  contained  a 
stair  leading  up  to  it.  The  great  hall  seems,  as  at  Dundonald,  to  have 
been  on  the  top  floor,  as  there  are  remains  of  a  large  window  at  that 
level  in  the  east  gable  (see  Fig.  65).  The  walls  diminish  in  thickness  as 
they  rise,  leaving  a  set-off  to  receive  the  joists  at  each  floor  level.  They 
are  thus  9  feet  thick  on  the  ground  floor,  7  feet  on  the  first  floor,  and 
4  feet  on  the  top  floor.  The  walls  are  still  about  30  feet  in  height. 


BREACACHA  CASTLE,*  COLL,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

The  island  of  Coll  lies  about  seven  miles  to  the  west  of  the  north-west 
point  of  Mull,  and  at  the  head  of  a  bay  near  the  south  end  of  the  island 


I  ROM    CATL 


FIG.  66.— Breacacha  Castle,  Coll.    Plan  at  level  of  First  Floor  of  Keep.  ' 

*  For  the  drawings  and  particulars  of  this  castle  we  have  to  thank  the  kindness  of 
John  Lome  Stewart,  Esq.,  the  proprietor,  and  T.  L.  Watson,  Esq.,  architect,  Glasgow. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    118   — 


BREACACHA   CASTLE,    COLL 


stands  the  ancient  castle  of  Breacacha.  The  island  was  in  olden  times 
alternately  in  the  possession  of  the  Macneils,  the  Macleans,  and  the 
Macdonalds,  so  that  there  would  be  some  difficulty  in  determining  by 
whom  the  castle  was  erected. 

It  consists  of  a  quadrilateral  keep  measuring  32  feet  by  27  feet,  with 
walls  7  feet  in  thickness.  Attached  to  the  keep  are  the  enclosing  walls  of 
a  courtyard,  strengthened  with  a  round  tower  14  feet  6  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  south-east  angle,  which,  being  the  furthest  from  the  keep,  was  the 
weakest  point.  The  courtyard  wall  does  not  generally  exceed  3  feet  in 


FIG.  67.— Breacacha  Castle,  Coll,  from  South-East. 

thickness,  although  of  considerable  height,  and  is  thus  different  from  the 
immense  walls  of  enceinte  of  the  First  Period.  It  may,  however,  have 
been  rebuilt.  The  entrance  to  the  courtyard  was  by  a  small  doorway  at 
the  rounded  south-west  angle,  being  that  nearest  the  sea.  A  range  of 
buildings  has  run  along  the  southern  wall,  and  the  entrance  into  the 
courtyard  must  have  passed  through  the  ground  floor  of  these  erections. 
This  structure  is  now,  however,  much  ruined,  little  being  left  except  the 
south-west  gable  and  part  of  the  interior  wall.  A  parapet  wall  no  doubt 
ran  round  the  top  of  the  enclosing  wall,  and  there  are  traces  of  a  corbelled 
garde-robe  at  one  angle.  The  round  tower  at  the  south-east  angle  (Fig. 


BREACACHA    CASTLE,    COLL 


—    119    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


67)  has  been  a  story  higher  than  the  wall,  and  has  been  crowned  with  an 
embattled  parapet,  the  gargoyles  or  holes  for  the  escape  of  the  water  from 
the  parapet  or  platform  being  still  apparent  (Fig.  68),  and  of  the  usual 
character  of  such  features  in  the  isles.  Some  of  the  embrasures  are  also 
still  preserved.  The  keep  (Fig.  68)  is  doubtless  the  oldest  part  of  the 
castle,  and  its  features  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  it  belongs  to  the  Second 
Period  of  our  Castellated  Architecture  (fourteenth  century).  It  has  the 
same  simple  form  and  thick  walls  as  the  castles  of  that  date.  The  entrance 


FIG.  68.— Breacacha  Castle,  Coll,  from  South- West. 

door  appears  to  have  been  at  the  level  of  the  first  flooi1,  but  the  place  is  so 
encumbered  with  rubbish  that  it  is  difficult  to  determine  the  original 
levels.  The  parapet  is  carried  up  flush  with  the  outer  face  of  the  walls 
without  any  moulding  or  corbelling,  as  in  many  of  those  towers.  On  the 
south-east  angle  only  (Fig.  67)  has  there  been  a  corbelled  bartizan,  and  the 
corbelling  is  of  the  simplest  kind.  The  windows  are  very  small  and 
primitive-looking,  and  there  are  no  fireplaces.  The  keep  is  five,  stories  in 
height,  and  a  single  wheel-stair  in  the  south-east  angle  gives  access  to 
each.  The  floors  have  all  been  of  wood,  and  have  now  disappeared.  The 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    120   — 


CASTLE   COEFPIN 


plan  shows  a  garde-robe  in  the  thickness  of  the  first  or  hall  floor.  A  parapet 
walk  4  feet  in  width  runs  round  the  top  of  the  walls,  passing  outside  the 
east  and  west  gables  of  the  roof  (Fig.  69). 

The  only  work  of  an  ornamental  character  to  be  observed  in  the 
building  is  a  dog-tooth  ornament  carved  on  the  lintel  of  the  staircase 
door,  which  enters  into  the  hall. 


FIG.  69.  -Breacacha  Castle,  Coll,  from  North-West. 

The  structure  in  the  courtyard  has  probably  been  erected  at  a  later 
period,  to  provide  additional  and  more  comfortable  accommodation  than 
the  keep  afforded.  The  chimney  in  the  west  gable  (Fig.  68)  shows  that  it 
has  had  a  fireplace,  and  the  windows  in  the  south  wall  (Fig.  67)  are  large, 
and  much  more  modern  looking  than  those  in  the  keep.  An  outer  enclosure 
or  courtyard  seems  at  one  time  to  have  extended  from  the  keep  towards  the 
north,  but  a  portion  of  the  wall  is  all  that  now  remains  of  it. 


CASTLE  COEFFIN,  LISMORE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  shattered  mass  of  ruins  (Fig.  70)  is  set  in  a  most  commanding 
position  on  the  summit  of  a  conical  peninsular  rock  on  the  west  side  of 
the  island  of  Lismore,  in  Loch  Linnhe,  where  it  protects  and  conceals 
a  small  natural  harbour — a  place  no  doubt  of  considerable  importance 
on  this  rugged  coast  in  the  days  of  the  Norsemen.  The  castle  is  said 
to  have  been  erected  by  one  of  the  Vikings — a  "  Danish  prince "  of  the 
same  name,  but  it  seems  more  likely  that  the  present  structure  may  have 


CASTLE   COEFFIN 


—    121    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


SECOND    PERIOD 


122  


ARDTORNISH    CASTLE 


superseded  an  older  fortress  erected  on  this  site  by  the  Dane.  The 
building  is  now  a  total  ruin,  but  the  outline  of  its  walls  is  still  traceable 
(Fig.  71).  They  are  8  feet  thick,  and  form  a  rudely  rectangular  structure 
65  feet  long  by  35  feet  wide,  perched  on  the  top  of  the  rock.  How  the 
interior  has  been  divided  it  is  impossible  to  say,  but  there  would  appear 
to  have  been  two  windows  on  the  landward  side,  and  one  towards  the  sea 
having  small  external  openings  with  wide  bays  towards  the  interior.  The 
doorway  has  been  at  the  north  end,  and  from  the  ingoing  a  staircase  has 


FIG.  71. —Castle  Coeffln.    Plan. 

wound  up  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  leading  to  an  upper  floor,  and  no 
doubt  to  a  battlemented  parapet.  The  access  to  the  doorway  has  been 
defended  with  outworks,  which  probably  contained  a  staircase  and  draw- 
bridge, but  they  are  now  so  destroyed  as  to  render  any  explanation  of 
them  impossible.  The  style  of  the  structure  is  rather  that  of  the  fourteenth 
century  than  of  an  earlier  date.  In  point  of  picturesqueness  these  ruins 
are  scarcely  to  be  surpassed. 


ARDTORNISH  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  castle  occupies  an  important  place  in  Scott's  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
and  the  account  given  of  the  buildings  is  made  to  correspond  with  the 
imposing  character  of  the  court  of  that  powerful  chief  described  as  held 


ARDTOUNISH    CASTLE 


—  123  — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


therein.  But  there  is  nothing  in  the  existing  remains  to  lead  one  to 
believe  that  Ardtornish  was  ever  more  than  a  large  keep  of  the  quadri- 
lateral style  of  the  fourteenth  century.  The  ruins  are  now  reduced  to  the 
wall  of  the  basement,  which  is  9  or  10  feet  in  thickness,  not  above  15  feet 
in  height,  and  is  absolutely  without  any  other  architectural  features. 
This  fragment  stands  on  the  top  of  a  basaltic  headland  on  the  northern 
side  of  the  Sound  of  Mull  and  a  few  miles  from  its  eastern  end  (Fig.  72). 
The  entrance  to  the  Sound  is  thus  guarded  by  Duart  Castle  on  the  south 
or  Mull  coast,  and  by  Ardtornish  Castle  on  the  northern  or  Morven  side, 
and  they  both  form  prominent  objects  in  the  view  (Fig.  73).  The  keep 


FIG.  72.— Ardtornish  Castle,  from  the  West. 


of  Ardtornish  has  doubtless  closely  resembled  that  of  Duart,  but  it  does 
not  appear  to  have  ever  been  attached  to  a  wall  of  enceinte  like  the 
latter.  Ardtornish  was  the  castle  of  the  first  Lord  of  the  Isles,  and  was 
probably  built  by  him  in  the  fourteenth  century.  He  died  there  in  1380, 
and  was  buried  with  great  splendour  at  lona.  In  1461  the  Earl  of  Ross 
(who  was  also  Lord  of  the  Isles)  assumed  the  position  of  an  independent 
prince,  and  entered  into  negotiations  with  Edward  iv.  of  England  for  an 
attack  upon  Scotland.  It  was  at  this  castle  of  Ardtornish  that  the 
former  called  a  council  of  his  chiefs,  when  he  granted  a  commission  like 
a  sovereign  ruler  to  two  of  his  kinsmen  to  confer  with  the  deputies  of 
King  Edward. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    124   — 


ARDTORNISH    CASTLE 


KILDONAN    CASTLE 


—    125   — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


AROS  CASTLE,  MULL,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  fragmentary  ruin  of  what  once  was  a  powerful  castle  of  the  Lord 
of  the  Isles.  It  stands  on  a  high  basaltic  plateau,  which  forms  a  pro- 
montory on  the  south  shore  of  the  Sound  of  Mull,  and  shelters  a  bay  or 
natural  harbour.  The  site  is  near  the  centre  of  the  Sound  where  it  bends, 
so  that  the  fortress  commands  a  clear  view  both  up  and  down  the  channel. 
The  advantages  of  this  situation  led  to  its  being  early  secured  as  a  place 
of  defence.  It  was  possibly  at  first  a  castle  with  a  wall  of  enceinte 
surrounding  the  plateau,  but  if  so  that  wall  has  now  disappeared.  The 


FIG.  74.— Arcs  Castle. 

keep  was  erected  on  the  landward  side  of  the  site,  where  it  guarded  the 
approach,  which  was  likewise  defended  with  fosse  and  drawbridge.  Of 
the  keep  there  now  remains  only  a  portion  of  two  walls  (see  Sketch,  Fig. 
74),  without  any  very  distinctive  features,  but  the  door  and  window  open- 
ings are  evidently  ancient.  It  was  at  Aros  that  Lord  Ochiltree  called  the 
island  chiefs  together  in  1608,  when  he  invited  them  to  dine  on  board  his 
vessel,  and  after  dinner  informed  them  that  they  were  prisoners  by  com- 
mand of  His  Majesty  James  vi.  He  then  carried  them  off  and  distributed 
them  as  prisoners  in  the  castles  of  Dumbarton,  Blackness,  and  Stirling. 


KILDONAN  CASTLE,*   BUTESHIRE. 

A  ruinous  ancient  keep,  erected  on  a  rocky  plateau  on  the  sea-coast, 
at  the  south  end  of  the  island  of  Arran.     It  is  protected  by  a  precipitous 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Railton  for  the  Plans  and  Section  of  this  castle. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    126 


KILDONAN   CASTLE 


cliff  on  the  east  or  seaward  side,  and  by  a  ravine  on  the  north  (Fig.  75). 
The  structure  (Fig.  76)  measures  28  feet  5  inches  by  22  feet.  The  entrance 
door  seems  to  have  been  on  the  ground  floor,  with  a  wheel-stair  adjoining, 
in  the  north-east  angle,  which  led  to  the  hall  on  the  first  floor.  Above 
this  level,  another  wheel-stair  in  the  south-west  angle  conducted  to  the 
upper  floors.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  the  hall  is  also  covered 
with  a  slightly-pointed  barrel  vault  1 3  feet  in  height  (see  Section).  The 


FIG.  75. — Kildonan  Castle. 

top  story,  now  ruinous,  was  probably  likewise  roofed  with  a  vault,  which 
would  sustain  the  stone  slabs  forming  the  roof.  The  walls  on  the  ground 
floor  are  about  6  feet  thick,  while  those  of  the  first  floor  are  diminished  to 
4  feet  6  inches  in  thickness.  The  basement  is  lighted  by  a  narrow  slit  at 
the  north  and  south  ends.  The  hall  has  a  fireplace  in  the  south  wall,  and 
two  larger  windows  in  the  side  walls  near  the  south  end.  There  is  also  a 
garde-robe,  with  descending  flue,  at  the  south-east  angle. 


MOY    CASTLE  —    127    —  SECOND    PERIOD 

The  surviving  features  of  the  tower  indicate  a  structure  of  the  Second 


PRECIPICE. 
FIG.  76.— Kildonan  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 


or  Third  Period,  but  nothing  remains  to  fix  its  date  more  definitely, 
was  the  fortress  of  a  branch  of  the  Clan  Macdonald. 


It 


MOY   CASTLE,*   LOCH   BUY,   ARGYLLSHIRE. 

An  ancient  keep,  long  the  residence  of  the  chief  of  the  Maclaines.  It 
stands  on  a  rocky  foundation  at  the  north  end  of  Loch  Buy,  an  arm  of 
the  sea,  which  penetrates  into  the  island  of  Mull  from  the  south.  It  is  a 

*  The  sketch  of  this  castle  has  been  kindly  supplied  by  Dr.  D.  Christison, 
Edinburgh. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    128    — 


CLOSEBURN    CASTLE 


rude  structure  (Fig.  77)  of  apparently  an  early  type,  but  has  few  architec- 
tural features  by  which  its  date  can  be  determined.     Probably  the  walls 


FIG.  77.— Moy  Castle. 

are  as  old  as  the  fourteenth  century,  but  the  upper  part  seems  to  have 
been  modified  in  the  seventeenth  century. 


CLOSEBURN   CASTLE,   DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

An  ancient  keep,  situated  in  the  valley  of  the  Nith,  about  ten  or  twelve 
miles  north  from  Dumfries.  The  castle  stands  on  a  level  plateau,  sur- 
rounded by  extensive  parks  and  wooded  domains  which  in  olden  times 
were  under  water,  and  are  still  known  as  the  Loch  of  Closeburn.  The 
Plan  (Fig.  78)  is  a  parallelogram,  45  feet  6  inches  by  34  feet  6  inches, 
and  the  top  of  the  parapet  is  50  feet  high.  The  building  is  of  great 
strength,  having  walls  on  the  ground  floor  about  10  feet  thick,  with  three 
vaulted  floors,  as  shown  on  Section  (Fig.  78).  It  is  still  inhabited  and  in 
perfect  order ;  and  although  considerably  modernised  both  externally  and 
internally,  it  presents  the  characteristics  of  a  Scottish  keep  of  the  end  of 
the  fourteenth  century  or  of  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth,  although  the 
exact  date  of  its  erection  seems  not  to  be  known.  The  ground  floor  has 


CLOSEBURN    CASTLE 


—    129    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


no  communication  with  the  upper  floors.  These  were  reached  by  a  door 
on  the  first  floor  level  about  10  feet  above  the  ground.  This  door  is 
splayed  and  has  a  round  arch,  and  is  protected  by  an  iron  yett,  still  in 
position.  The  walls  of  the  upper  floors  are  about  7  feet  6  inches  thick, 
and  the  internal  space  is  divided  into  two  chambers  by  a  wall  about  3  feet 
thick.  Probably  this  wall,  although  old,  is  not  part  of  the  original  struc- 
ture, as  in  castles  of  this  kind  the  hall  usually  occupied  the  whole  of  the 
first  floor. 


SECTION 


Fio.  78.— Closeburn  Castle.    Plan  and  Section. 

From  the  hall  a  narrow  wheel-stair  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  leads 
to  the  three  upper  floors  and  to  the  battlements.  The  parapet  walk  has 
been  modernised  (Fig.  79),  the  roof,  which  is  supported  on  a  stone  arch, 
being  doubtless  originally  covered  with  stone,  as  at  Borthwick  and  Craig- 
millar. 

The  following  description  of  the  entrance  doorway  by  Grose  led  Dr.  J. 
Hill  Burton,  as  it  would  most  readers,  to  believe  that  the  castle  was  a 
Norman  structure.  He  says  :  "  From  the  plan  on  which  it  was  built,  and 
the  style  of  the  mouldings  of  the  door,  which  are  the  only  ancient  orna- 

I 


SECOND    PERIOD 


*-  130  — 


CLOSEBURN   CASTLE 


ments  now  remaining  about  the  building,  it  seems  that  the  date  of  its 
construction  cannot  be  later  than  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century." 
And  again  :  "  The  door  is  under  a  circular  arch,  with  a  zigzag  or  dancette 
moulding  rudely  cut  out  of  the  hard  granite." 

Dr.  Burton,  however,  visited  the  castle,  when  he  found  that  Grose  was 
mistaken,  and  that  nothing  to  support   the  above  statement  could   be 


FIG.  79. — Closeburn  Castle. 

observed.  He  adds :  "  The  castle  is  just  the  featureless  Scottish  Peel 
tower  of  the  fifteenth  or  sixteenth  century." 

Closeburn  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Kirkpatrick  family  from 
about  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The  romantic  incident  of 
the  death  of  the  Red  Cumyn  in  1306,  who  was  stabbed  by  Roger  de 
Kirkpatrick  of  Closeburn  in  the  Church  of  the  Greyfriars  in  Dumfries, 
is  well  known,  but  the  present  structure  could  not  possibly  have  been 
erected  till  about  a  century  later. 

Mr.  Craufurd  Tait  Ramage,  in  his  work  entitled  Drumlanrig  and  the 


CASSILLIS   CASTLE  131    -  SECOND    PERIOD 

Douglases,  contending  for  the  antiquity  of  certain  castles  against  Burton, 
says :  "  The  ground  floor  had  a  well  in  it,  sunk  so  as  to  supply  the  in- 
habitants at  all  times  with  water  if  they  were  besieged.  It  was  approached 
from  the  upper  stories  by  a  stone  stair  formed  in  the  outer  wall."  There 
is  now  no  appearance  either  of  the  well  or  of  the  stair.  Mr.  Ramage 
further  refers  to  traces  of  walls  having  been  found  when  the  family  built 
a  new  mansion  beside  the  castle  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  These  were  probably  remains  of  walls  of  enceinte,  and  were 
swept  away  at  that  time.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  in  the  collection  of 
old  drawings  of  Scottish  castles  belonging  to  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy, 
there  are  two  sketches  of  Closeburn,  one  of  which  shows  an  arched  entrance 
gateway,  through  which  is  seen  in  the  distance  the  walls  of  enceinte  with 
a  round  corner  tower  similar  to  those  at  Craigmillar.  But  the  connection 
of  the  gateway,  walls,  and  tower  with  the  keep  are  unfortunately  not 
shown  on  the  sketch.  The  other  drawing  shows  the  loch  coming  quite 
close  to  the  castle,  as  is  also  the  case  in  Grose's  view. 

The  new  mansion  was  burned  down  in  1748,  when  the  old  keep  again 
became  the  family  residence,  till  they  sold  the  estate  in  1783.  "The 
castle  was  then  occupied,"  says  Mr.  Ramage,  "by  'Willie  Stewart,'  the 
friend  and  boon  companion  of  Burns,  factor  to  the  new  proprietor,  Dr. 
James  Stewart  Menteith,"  who  built  another  large  mansion  adjoining  in 
the  Renaissance  style. 


CASSILLIS  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

An  ancient  keep,  standing  on  the  level  ground  above  the  steep  south 
bank  of  the  River  Doon,  about  four  miles  from  Maybole  and  one  mile 
from  Cassillis  Station.  In  the  time  of  Bruce  the  estate  belonged  to  Sir 
Neil  Montgomerie,  who  remained  in  possession  till  the  reign  of  Robert  n., 
"at  the  quhilk  tyme  the  saidis  landis  fell  to  ane  lass."  The  Laird  of 
"  Dalrumpill,  her  nyteboir,  come  to  hir  hous  of  Caissillis  and  persewit 
hir  be  forse  to  have  hir  in  marrage,  the  quhilk  she  wald  nocht  condiscend 
to,  bot  defendit  the  hous."  Kennedy  of  Dunure  came  to  her  relief,  slew 
Dalrymple,  carried  the  heiress  off  himself,  and  "  maid  hir  to  resing  hir 
landis  in  the  kingis  handis  in  favoris  off  him."  "  This  was  aboutt  the  thrid 
yeir  off  Robertt  the  Secund,  quhilk  wes  the  1373  year  of  God."*  This 
castle  became  .the  principal  residence  of  the  Kennedies  of  Dunure,  who 
were  created  Earls  of  Cassillis  in  the  fifteenth  century.  The  estate  still 
remains  in  the  hands  of  the  Marquis  of  Ailsa,  the  14th  Earl  of 
Cassillis.  The  castle  has  some  interesting  memoirs  connected  with  it. 
It  was  the  scene  (in  the  seventeenth  century)  of  the  story  celebrated  in 
the  ballad  of  Johnnie  Faa,  whose  glamour  enticed  away  the  lady  of  the 
*  Historic  of  the  Kennedyis,  p.  3. 


SECOND    PERIOD  —    132    —  CASSILLIS    CASTLE 

house  with  all  her  maids.  Here,  too,  George  Buchanan  resided  (1537),  as 
tutor  to  the  Earl  Gilbert,  and  here  he  wrote  his  Somnium.  The  original 
structure  (Fig.  80)  is  a  quadrilateral  keep  of  the  Second  Period,  60  feet 
in  length  by  40  feet  in  width  externally,  with  walls  12  to  13  feet  in 
thickness  ;  but  it  was  greatly  altered  in  the  seventeenth  century,  when 
the  tower  at  the  south-east  angle,  containing  the  staircase  and  the 
entrance  doorway,  was  added,  and  the  whole  of  the  upper  part  of  the 


FIG.  80.— Cassillis  Castle.    Plan. 

building  remodelled  (Fig.  81).  This  is  evident  from  the  continuous 
corbelling  under  the  parapet,  the  roofed-in  angle  turrets  with  their  late 
side  shafts,  and  the  balustraded  balcony  seen  in  the  north-east  view. 
The  situation  amongst  the  grand  old  trees  on  the  gentle  banks  of  the 
Doon  is  very  charming,  and  the  old  castle  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
of  the  period.  A  large  modern  addition  has  been  attached  to  the  castle 
on  the  south-east. 


BALTHAYOCK  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  massive  simple  keep  of  the  Second  Period.  Standing  on  the  summit 
of  a  height  surmounting  a  deep  ravine  above  the  Carse  of  Gowrie,  it  com- 
mands an  extensive  prospect  over  the  valley  of  the  Tay.  The  castle  is 
about  three  miles  east  from  Perth  and  immediately  above  Kinfauns.  It 


CASSILLIS   CASTLE 


—  133  — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


Fio.  81.— Cassillis  Castle,  from  North-East. 


SECOND    PERIOD  -    134    -  THE    OLD    MAN    OF    WICK 

was  the  seat  of  the  family  of  Blair  of  Balthayock  from  the  time  of  William 
the  Lion.  This  family  disputed  the  Chiefship  with  Blair  of  that  Ilk  in 
Ayrshire.  The  keep  is  of  the  usual  description,  being  52  feet  by  37  feet, 
with  very  thick  walls.  It  is  still  of  considerable  height,  but  has  lost  its 
battlements,  and  is  finished  with  a  modern  roof.  The  interior  is  also 
modernised,  but  shows  the  usual  dispositions,  the  hall  being  on  the  first 
floor,  with  entrance  door  at  that  level,  and  turnpike  stair  in  an  angle  to 
the  upper  floors.  The  modern  mansion  of  William  Lowson,  Esq.,  the 
present  proprietor,  stands  near,  and  the  whole  place  is  kept  in  fine 
order. 


CASTLE  DRUMIN,  BANPPSHIRE. 

The  remains  of  an  ancient  keep  which  stood  on  the  height  above  the 
junction  of  the  Livet  with  the  Avon,  about  four  miles  up  from  Ballin- 
dalloch.  It  was  apparently  a  simple  castle  of  the  Second  Period,  having 
walls  7  feet  in  thickness  and  measuring  about  53  feet  by  38  feet.  The 
ground  floor  was  vaulted  and  provided  with  loops.  There  now  only 
remain  two  walls  and  a  part  of  the  third.  The  former  are  preserved  as 
high  as  the  corbels  of  the  parapet,  some  of  which  still  exist,  and  are  of  a 
plain  early  form.  The  situation  is  fine,  commanding  three  valleys,  and 
the  ruin  is  surrounded  with  large  old  trees.  This  was  anciently  the  seat 
of  the  Barons  of  Strathavon,  descended  from  Alexander  Stuart,  fourth 
son  of  Robert  n. 


THE  OLD  MAN  OF  WICK,*  CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

The  ruins  of  this  once  extensive  castle  (Fig.  82)  stand  on  a  narrow 
promontory  on  the  rugged  east  coast  of  Caithness-shire,  about  one  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  the  town  of  Wick.  The  situation  and  plan  of  the 
castle  (Fig.  83)  are  very  similar  to  those  of  Girnigoe,  but  the  buildings 
are  now  chiefly  reduced  to  mere  grass-grown  mounds.  The  site  consists 
of  one  of  those  narrow  spits  "of  rock  jutting  out  with  perpendicular 
faces  into  the  sea,  which  rushes  with  great  force  up  the  "  goes  "  or  deep 
channels  on  each  side  of  it.  The  keep — a  rectangular  mass  of  rude 
masonry — occupies  the  neck  of  the  promontory,  which  is  cut  across  by 
a  wide  ditch.  It  still  stands  three  stories  in  height,  but  there  was 
probably  another  story  above.  The  arrangement  seems  to  have  been  the 
usual  one  in  castles  of  the  Second  Period.  The  basement  formed  the 

*  The  Plan  of  this  castle  has  been  kindly  supplied  by  the  Rev.  A.  Miller, 
Buckie. 


THE    OLD    MAN    OF    WICK 


—    135    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


stores,  with  only  narrow  loops  ;  the  first  floor  contained  the  hall,  with  the 
entrance  door  at  the  south-east  angle,  where  the  bar-hole  still  remains  ; 
the  windows  are  very  small  and  narrow  ;  the  upper  floors  would  contain 
the  lord's  private  apartments.  The  floors  are  about  9  feet  in  height,  and 
the  joists  rested  on  ledges  all  round,  formed  by  the  thinning  of  the  wall 
as  it  ascended.  Beyond  the  keep  a  long  narrow  passage  or  court  passed 
along  the  centre  of  the  peninsula,  with  buildings  on  each  side  of  it,  of 
which  only  the  foundations  can  now  be  traced.  These  were  doubtless 
similar  to  the  structures  arranged  in  the  same  way  at  Girnigoe. 


FIG.  82.— The  Old  Man  of  Wick,  from  South- West. 

In  the  fourteenth  century  this  keep  was  occupied  by  Sir  Reginald  de 
Cheyne,  descendant  of  one  of  the  Norman  families  who  held  large  estates 
in  the  North.  The  Earl  of  Sutherland  succeeded  to  the  estate  by  marriage 
with  the  heiress  of  Sir  Reginald  ;  and  it  was  held  in  later  times  by  the 
Oliphants,  Lord  Duffus,  and  Dunbar  of  Hempriggs ;  but  there  is  no 
record  of  the  erection  of  the  various  structures  of  which  it  was  once 
composed.  The  Old  Man  of  Wick  is  very  simple  and  rude,  and  is  prob- 
ably the  oldest  of  all  the  existing  castles  of  Caithness. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    136   THE   OLD   MAN   OP   WICK 


BRAAL   CASTLE  —    137   —  SECOND    PERIOD 


BRAAL  CASTLE,*  CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

This  ancient  keep  stands  on  the  bank  of  the  Thurso  River,  six  miles 
south  of  the  town  of  Thurso,  and  not  far  from  the  junction  of  the  branches 
of  the  Highland  Railway  to  Wick  and  Thurso.  The  site  has  been  long 
occupied  as  a  fortress,  being  conveniently  situated  for  defence  by  the 
river  and  a  wet  ditch  (part  of  which  still  exists),  and  commanding  a 
wide  extent  of  country.  Tradition  says  that  a  castle  on  this  ground  was 
occupied  by  Harold,  Earl  of  Caithness,  in  the  thirteenth  century,  but  the 
style  of  the  building  indicates  that  the  existing  structure  is  of  a  later 
date,  certainly  not  earlier  than  the  fourteenth  century,  or  Second  Period. 

The  tower  (Fig.  84)  has  the  characteristics  of  that  date.  It  measures 
about  39  feet  by  36  feet,  and  has  walls  8  to  10  feet  in  thickness.  The 
basement  has  no  external  door,  the  only  openings  in  the  walls  being  two 


PRESENT  CfnOU  NO  FLOOR  PR  I  NCI  PA  L  FL  OOR  OPPfF 

FIG.  84.— Braal  Castle.    Plans. 

narrow  loopholes  with  wide  internal  bays,  arched  over.  The  first  floor 
contains  a  hall  22  feet  by  19  feet.  The  entrance  door  is  at  the  south- 
west angle  of  this  floor.  The  windows  are  small,  with  wide-arched 
ingoings  provided  with  stone  seats,  and  there  is  a  garde-robe  in  the  wall. 
The  staircase  to  the  upper  floor  ascends  from  the  ingoing  of  the  entrance 
doorway  in  the  thickness  of  the  south-west  wall,  and  at  the  top  of  it 
there  seems  to  have  been  a  door  leading  to  the  parapet  walk.  But  the 
battlements  and  the  whole  of  the  distinctive  features  of  the  top  of  the 
castle  have  unfortunately  now  disappeared.  The  window  and  other 
recesses  of  the  upper  floor  have  straight  lintels.  The  ground  floor  has 
not  been  vaulted,  but  the  Rev.  Mr.  Miller  says  the  "  floors  have  all  been 
supported  on  heavy  rough  corbels,  projecting  at  intervals,  all  round. 
Internally  the  walls  seem  to  have  been  built  with  clay.  The  corbels  of 
*  The  Plans  are  from  drawings  kindly  supplied  by  the  Rev.  A.  Miller,  Buckie. 


SECOND    PERIOD  —    138  —  CESSFORD   CASTLE 

the  first  floor  are  so  large  and  broad  that  they  pave  half  of  one  side 
several  feet  across." 

The  castle  belonged  to  the  family  of  Sinclair,  who  at  a  later  date 
seem  to  have  found  its  accommodation  too  limited,  and  proceeded  to 
erect  another  and  more  spacious  mansion,  about  100  feet  by  50,  in  the 
vicinity.  The  new  house,  however,  was  not  carried  further  than  the 
vaults,  which  stood  unfinished,  but  in  perfect  preservation,  till  1856, 
when  a  modern  house  was  erected  above  them  as  a  hotel,  in  connection 
with  the  fishings  in  the  River  Thurso. 


II.   L  PLANS. 


CESSFORD  CASTLE,  ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

This  massive  Border  stronghold  is  situated  six  miles  south  from  Kelso, 
and  about  the  same  distance  north-east  from  Jedburgh.  It  stands  on 
rising  ground  sloping  upwards  from  the  valley  of  the  Kale  Water,  and 
commands  a  magnificent  prospect  of  the  Cheviots  towards  the  south. 
The  castle  is  in  a  most  ruinous  state,  being  rent  in  two  or  three  places 
from  top  to  bottom  in  such  a  manner  as  to  suggest  the  idea  of  the  founda- 
tions having  sunk.  Being  situated  on  the  highway  of  communication 
between  England  and  Scotland,  and  consequently  exposed  to  the  vicis- 
situdes of  war,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  this  fortress  should,  for 
self-preservation,  be  of  unusual  solidity.  "We  accordingly  find  that  the 
construction  has  been  of  very  great  strength,  the  walls  varying  in  thick- 
ness from  12  feet  to  13  feet  6  inches,  while  the  keep  was  surrounded  and 
fortified  on  all  sides  with  enclosing  walls  and  a  moat,  at  a  distance  of 
40  or  50  feet.  Of  these  walls  only  a  small  part,  as  shown  on  Plan 
(Fig.  85),  now  remains,  the  other  portions  having  been  used  as  a  local 
quarry.  Outside  the  walls  was  the  moat,  which  was  much  more  distinct 
some  years  ago  than  now.  The  castle  is  of  the  L  Plan.  The  main  block, 
which  lies  north  and  south,  measures  63  feet  7  inches  by  45  feet  2  inches. 
The  ground  floor  and  first  floor  were  vaulted,  as  shown  on  the  section 
(Fig.  86),  but  both  vaults  are  now  gone.  Along  the  south  side  the  castle 
measures  68  feet  5  inches  by  35  feet  7  inches  on  the  east  face  of  the 
projection.  The  wing  is  also  vaulted  on  the  ground  floor,  but  at  a  level 
2  or  3  feet  lower  than  the  vault  of  the  main  building,  so  as  so  provide 
height  for  the  usual  entresol  in  the  wing.  There  are  two  entrance 
doorways  to  the  castle,  one  on  the  ground  level  and  one  on  the  first 


CKSSFORD   CASTLE 


—    139    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


floor.  The  lower  entrance  doorway  is  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  east 
wall,  and  has  been  secured  with  two  doors,  one  opening  outwards  and 
the  other  inwards,  one  of  which  would,  in  all  probability,  be  an  iron 
yett.  A  passage  13  feet  6  inches  long  through  the  wall  leads  directly 
to  the  ground  floor  of  the  main  building,  which  was  again  secured  with 
double  doors.  The  lower  vault  was  divided  into  two  stories,  the  joist 
holes  for  the  intermediate  wooden  floor  being  observable  along  both  sides. 
The  ground  floor  was  feebly  lighted  with  two  narrow  slits,  one  at  each 


PLAN     OF    GROUND     FLOOR 


Fio.  85.— Cessford  Castle.    Plan. 

end  (being  those  shown  on  the  Plan,  with  steps  in  the  sill),  and  the  floor 
in  the  vault  above  had  slightly  wider  windows,  with  an  additional  window 
in  the  west  wall  (also  shown  on  Plan  of  Ground  Floor). 

On  the  left  of  the  entrance  passage  a  door  leads  into  the  circular  stair 
which  runs  to  the  top  of  the  building,  and  by  a  passage  \o  the  dark 
vaulted  chambers  in  the  wing.  The  smaller  of  these,  which  is  only  6  feet 
3  inches  high,  and .  the  adjoining  passage,  have  each  a  slit  commanding 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    140    — 


CESSFORD   CASTLE 


the  doorway ;  the  larger  chamber  seems  to  have  been  the  guardroom, 
being  near  the  entrance  door  and  also  close  to  the  dungeon.  The  floor  of 
the  latter  (now  choked  with  ruins)  was  probably  6  or  7  feet  lower  than 
the  adjoining  floors,  and  its  arched  roof,  now  fallen,  was  about  3  feet 
above  the  floor  of  the  guardroom.  The  dungeon  was  entered  by  a  hatch- 
way in  the  vault.  A  door,  up  a  few  steps  of  the  circular  staircase,  leads 
to  the  small  chamber  which  contained  the  hatch.  Another  door  from  this 
staircase  leads  into  the  upper  floor  of  the  lower  vault  in  the  main  building. 
These  doors  are  shown  by  white  lines  on  the  Ground  Floor  Plan. 

The  upper  or  principal  entrance  to  the  castle  is  at  the  level,  or  nearly 
so,  of  the  hall  floor  (Fig.  86)  in  the  re-entering  angle,  but  it  is  in  the  wall 
of  the  wing,  not  in  that  of  the  main  structure,  like  the  ground  floor 


PLAN      OFFIRST    FLOOR 


SECTION 


FIG.  86.— Cessford  Castle.    Plan  and  Section. 


entrance.  It  is  about  15  feet  above  the  ground,  and  is  checked  for  two 
doors,  one  opening  outwards  and  the  other  inwards,  the  latter  being 
secured  with  a  sliding-bar.  This  entrance  was  of  course  reached  by  a 
moveable  ladder,  and  in  connection  with  this  there  will  be  observed  on 
the  face  of  the  east  wall  and  over  the  lower  entrance,  nearly  at  the  level 
of  the  door-sill,  a  projecting  ledge,  which  was  probably  a  support  for  a 
wooden  platform  erected  here  in  connection  with  the  defence  of  this 
entrance.  From  the  upper  doorway  an  arched  passage  leads  to  the  stair, 
off  which  and  up  a  few  steps  is  the  door  to  the  kitchen,  which  occupies 
the  wing  on  this  floor.  A  few  steps  further  up  conduct  to  the  door  of 
the  hall  in  the  main  part  of  the  building.  The  hall  measures  39  feet 
6  inches  by  22  feet,  and  is  well  lighted  by  four  windows  (three  of  them 


CESSFORD    CASTLE 


141    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


with  stone  seats),  and  has  a  handsome  fireplace  at  the  north  end,  with 
good  moulded  shafts  and  carved  cusps  (see  Fig.  86).  Two  mural  chambers, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  fireplace,  enter  from  the  ingoing  of  the  windows. 
The  floor  of  these  chambers  is  one  step  higher  than  the  top  of  the  window 
seats  (see  Section),  while  in  the  south-west  corner  another  mural  chamber 
enters  from  the  hall  at  the  floor  level. 

At  the  south-east  corner  of  the  hall  a  circular  recess,  which  appears  on 
Plan  like  a  corkscrew  staircase,  leads  up  a  few  steps  by  a  passage  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall — first  to  the  entresol  over  the  kitchen  (the  door  to 
which  is  shown  by  white  lines  on  Plan),  and  second,  by  a  circular  passage 
to  a  garde-robe  in  the  thickness  of  the  south  wall.  This  part  of  the  wall 


Pio.  87.— Cessford  Castle. 

is  very  ruinous,  but  the  shoot  of  the  garde-robe  still  remains.  The  kitchen 
in  the  wing  measures  20  feet  by  13  feet  3  inches.  It  is  lighted  by  one 
window  in  the  east  wall,  and  has  a  wide  fireplace,  with  an  oven  on  one 
side,  and  an  ambry  with  a  pointed  arched  opening  on  the  other.  There  is 
a  service  window  between  the  kitchen  and  the  hall,  while  communication 
between  them  was  also  obtained  by  passing  through  the  staircase  and  up 
a  few  steps.  The  vault  of  the  kitchen  having  fallen,  the  floor  is  encum- 
bered with  debris.  The  entresol  above  the  kitchen  had  a  considerable 
mural  chamber  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  over  the  upper  entrance. 
Above  this  level  there  were  two  floors  in  the  wing,  while  above  the  hall 
vault  there  was  doubtless  one  other  floor,  as  is  apparent  from  the  Section. 


SECOND    PERIOD  142    —  CESSFORD   CASTLE 

On  the  outer  face  of  the  south  wall,  at  a  distance  of  34  feet  from  the  east 
corner,  there  is  an  irregular  upright  joint  in  the  masonry,  commencing  at 
a  height  from  the  ground,  of  about  10  feet,  which  at  first  sight  would 
lead  one  to  suppose  that  the  wing  was  an  after-building ;  but  a  minute 
examination  of  the  work  shows  that  this  was  not  the  case,  but  that  the 
portion  of  the  wall  included  in  the  34  feet  must  have  been  delayed  in 
execution  from  some  cause  now  unknown.  The  broad  splay  and  dressed 
corner  at  the  base  (Fig.  87)  are  rather  rare  features,  and  indicate  an  early 
date. 

Cessford  Castle  recalls  those  of  Borthwick  and  Dundonald  in  the 
massive  construction  of  its  walls,  although  the  external  masonry  is  much 
inferior  to  that  of  Borthwick.  The  general  kitchen  arrangements  of  the 
latter  are  very  similar  to  those  here,  allowance  being  made  for  the 
disparity  in  size  of  the  two  edifices. 

The  barony  of  Cessford  belongs  to  the  Duke  of  Roxburghe,  and  it 
appears  to  have  been  in  the  possession  of  his  ancestors — the  Kers — since 
about  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century,  although  some  slight  dis- 
crepancies have  arisen  as  to  the  exact  date.*  There  is  no  record  of  the 
building  of  the  castle,  but,  according  to  the  author  of  the  Memorie  of  the 
Somervills,  who  wrote  in  1679,  it  seems  to  have  been  in  existence  at  the 
end  of  the  fourteenth  century.  While  we  do  not  know  from  what  source 
he  gathered  his  information,  we  are  inclined  to  give  credit  to  the  view 
that  this  is  a  fourteenth-century  castle,  which  has  doubtless  been 
heightened  at  a  later  date. 

In  the  Memorie  f  we  read  that  "  Robert  the  Second,  dying  at  his 
castle  of  Dundonald  upon  the  nyneteinth  day  of  Apryle,  1390,  before  his 
death  ther  was  a  peace  made  betwext  England  and  France  for  the  space  of 
seven  years,  wherin  Scotland  was  also  comprehended.!  This  peace  gave 
opportunitie  to  the  gentlemen  that  had  ther  estates  lying  upon  the  border  to 
seek  ef tir  soe  much  of  ther  rent  as  could  be  recovered  in  these  broken  tymes, 
wherin  for  the  most  part  the  country  thereabout  was  harassed  by  the  English 
and  Scots,  it  being  the  common  road  for  both,  when  they  intended  any 
invasione  upon  the  midle  marches.  John  Barrone  of  Carnwath,  being  at 
this  tyme  ordering  his  affaires  in  the  barronie  of  Lintoune,  was  invited 
over,  by  his  cussing  Sir  Robert  Kerr  of  Cessefoord,  to  the  castle  of  Cesse- 
foord,  then  his  residence,  distant  from  the  tower  of  Lintoune,  upon  the 
other  syde  of  the  watter  of  Kaill,  some  two  myles  or  thereby.  When  at 
dinner,  they  had  the  first  newes  of  King  Robert  the  Second  his  death,  by 
ane  expresse  that  had  come  from  Clidsdale  to  John  Barrone  of  Carnwath, 

*  See  the  History  and  Antiquities  of  Roxburghshire,  by  A.  Jeffrey,  Vol.  in.  pp. 
90  and  334. 

t  Vol.  I.  p.  143. 

t  In  1389  a  truce  was  established  between  England  and  France,  and  accepted  by 
Scotland.— Burton,  Vol.  n.  p.  368. 


CESSFORD    CASTLE  -    143    -  SECOND    PERIOD 

sent  from  his  lady,  to  give  him  advertisement  of  her  oune  sickness,  and 
how  desyreous  she  was  of  his  speedy  returne." 

The  castle  was  besieged  by  Surrey  in  May  1523,  and  he  bears  testi- 
mony to  the  massive  strength  of  the  walls,  whose  remains  we  see  in  part 
before  us  still,  in  a  letter  to  Henry  viu.,  in  which  he  says  :  "  I  was  very 
glad  of  the  same  appointment  (capitulation)  for  in  maner  I  sawe  not  howe 
it  wolde  have  been  won  if  they  within  wold  have  contynued  their 
deffending." 

The  following  is  the  account  of  the  siege  given  by  Jeffrey,  and  is  inter- 
esting from  its  showing  the  nature  of  siege  operations  in  the  time  of 
Henry  vm.  : — 

"In  the  month  of  May,  1523,  the  castle  was  besieged  by  Surrey,  in 
the  absence  of  its  owner,  with  a  numerous  army,  well  provided  with 
powerful  ordnance,  with  which  he  battered  the  donjon  with  little  effect. 
While  the  guns  were  playing  against  the  castle,  the  Lord  Leonard,  Sir 
Arthur  Darcy,  Sir  William  Parr,  and  others,  by  means  of  scaling  ladders, 
entered  the  barnkin,  where  they  suffered  severely  from  the  iron  guns  of 
the  castle  and  stones  cast  down  upon  them.  They  then  attempted  to  scale 
the  donjon,  while  the  archers  and  ordnance  kept  the  besieged  engaged;  but 
notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  of  the  besiegers,  they  could  not  prevail 
against  the  castle,  which  was  gallantly  defended.  At  last,  when  Surrey 
was  despairing  of  success,  the  warden  came  within  a  mile  of  the  castle, 
and  not  knowing  how  matters  stood  within  the  castle,  but  fearing  the 
worst,  offered  to  give  up  the  place  on  his  men  being  allowed  to  leave  with 
their  bag  and  baggage,  to  which  Surrey  was  but  too  glad  to  accede,  as  he 
could  not  have  taken  the  castle  by  force  of  arms. 

"  On  the  castle  being  delivered  up,  it  was  thrown  down  by  the 
ordnance,  and,  while  the  destruction  of  its  walls  was  going  on,  another 
party  went  on  to  Whitton  Fort  and  cast  it  down.  In  1545  Cessforthe, 
Cessfortheburn,  and  Cessfort  maynes  are  in  the  list  of  places  destroyed  by 
the  army  of  the  Earl  of  Hertford.  In  1666  Henry  Hall  of  Hanghead  and 
a  number  of  Covenanters  were  imprisoned  in  the  castle.  It  is  said  that 
the  castle  ceased  to  be  the  dwelling-place  of  the  Kers  after  1650." 

The  "  throwing  down  "  and  "  destruction  "  of  the  castle  just  referred 
to  are,  as  is  indeed  apparent  from  the  ruins,  to  be  understood  in  the 
usual  limited  sense,  such  expressions  being  invariably  employed  to  denote 
only  the  demolition  of  the  defences  of  a  fortress  so  as  to  render  the  place 
untenable. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—  144 


DALHOUSIE    CASTLE 


DALHOUSIE  CASTLE,*  MIDLOTHIAN. 

Beautifully  situated  on  a  wooded  promontory  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Esk,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  south-west  from  Dalkeith,  this  ancient  seat 


Fio.  88. — Dalhousie  Castle.    Entrance  Doorway. 

of  the  Ramsays — although  considerably  altered  and  modernised,  so  as  to 
render  it  suitable  for  a  nobleman's  residence  at  the  present  day — still  re- 
tains a  good  deal  of  its  old  character  and  appearance.  In  approaching  the 
*  We  have  to  thank  John  Bryce,  Esq.,  Architect,  Edinburgh,  for  the  use  of  Plans 
of  this  castle. 


DALHOUSIE    CASTLE 


—    145    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


Hi 


castle  from  the  north,  the  first  thing  which  meets  the  eye  is  the  ancient 
and  noble  mediaeval  gateway  (Fig.  88),  with  its  arched  and  machicolated 
recess  for  the  portcullis,  and  long  apertures  for  the  beams  which  raised 
the  drawbridge,  between  which  are  the  arms  and  crest  of  the  family, 
carved  on  a  panel  over  the  entrance  (Fig.  89).  The  gateway  is  flanked 
on  the  left  by  a  great  round  tower  (Fig.  90).  This 
tower,  which  is  32  feet  in  diameter,  formed  the 
defence  of  the  north-east  angle  of  a  great  enclosure 
(Fig.  91),  120  feet  from  north  to  south  by  110  feet 
from  east  to  west,  surrounded  with  a  wall  of  enceinte 
8  feet  in  thickness.  The  site  slopes  gradually  to  the 
south  and  west,  on  which  sides  it  is  protected  by  a 
sudden  and  precipitous  drop  of  the  ground  to  the 
level  of  the  flat  meadow  by  the  river-side.  The  great 
round  tower  thus  stands  as  the  guardian  of  the  castle 
at  the  point  where  the  site  is  weakest,  although  the 
whole  was  formerly  cut  off  from  the  surrounding 
ground  by  a  deep  ditch,  which,  however,  has  now 
been  filled  up.  The  relics  of  the  appliances  for 
working  the  drawbridge,  still  visible  in  the  ancient  FlG-  89.— Daihousie  Castle, 
gateway,  show  that  the  fosse  passed  in  front  of  the  Arm 
entrance  within  the  enceinte;  but  detached  from  it  stood  the  keep — a 
structure  of  the  L  form — the  main  body  of  which  was  62  feet  long  by 
37  wide,  with  a  wing  29  feet  by  20.  The  modern  drawing-room  on  the  first 
floor  .(Fig.  91)  still  occupies  the  position  of  the  ancient  hall,  and  is  50  feet 
long  by  21  feet  wide,  with  three  windows  in  deep  recesses  in  the  massive 
west  wall.  The  castle  has  evidently  borne  a  considerable  resemblance  to 
Craigmillar,  in  the  same  county,  both  as  regards  the  general  form  of  the 
keep  and  that  of  the  enceinte.  The  interior  of  the  keep  has,  however, 
been  very  greatly  altered,  in  order  to  render  it  a  commodious  modern 
mansion,  but  the  main  walls  and  divisions  may  still  be  traced  in  the  base- 
ment floor  (Fig.  91).  The  entrance  was  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the 
main  block.  It  was  on  the  level  of  the  courtyard  and  passed  into  a  short 
passage,  from  which  access  was  obtained  to  three  vaulted  cellars.  The  en- 
trance doorway  and  the  doors  of  these  cellars  have  all  pointed  arches.  The 
circular  staircase  (which  seems  to  have  been  where  shown  on  the  Basement 
Plan)  was  approached  through  the  southmost  of  these  vaulted  chambers, 
which  was  probably  a  guardroom,  and  ascended  to  the  hall,  and  most 
likely  to  the  upper  floors  and  battlements,  being  carried  up,  like  those  at 
Craigmillar,  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall.  The  wing  seems  to  have  contained 
the  prison  on  the  ground  floor.  It  was  entered  from  a  trap  in  an  inter- 
mediate wooden  floor,  constituting  a  guardroom,  of  which  the  door  and 
window  still  exist.  The  guardroom  would  enter  off  the  main  staircase. 
At  a  later  period  an  addition  (shown  by  hatched  lines  on  Plans)  was 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—   H6   — 


DALHOUSIE   CASTLE 


PERIOD 


SECOND    PERIOD 


148    — 


DALHOUSIE    CASTLE 


made,  which  partly  fills  up  the  re-entering  angle  and  obscures  the  entrance 
doorway.  The  object  of  this  addition  evidently  was  to  provide  a  good 
entrance  lobby  and  staircase,  such  as  were  common  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  That  that  was  the  date  of  the  addition  is  apparent  from  the 
arms  and  initials  enclosed  in  scrolls  still  visible  (in  the  midst  of  modern 
additions)  on  the  upper  part  of  the  wall  (Fig.  92).  These  show  the  Ramsay 
arms  (an  eagle  displayed  sable  on  a  field  azure),  and  the  initials  of  Sir 
George  Ramsay,  who  was  created  a  Lord  of  Parliament  by  James  vi.  in 
1618,  and  those  of  his  wife. 


FIG.  92. — Dalhousie  Castle.    Panels  on  Staircase  Wall. 

The  additions  carried  out  in  the  seventeenth  century  were  continued  by 
Lord  Ramsay's  son  William,  who  was  created  Earl  of  Dalhousie  by  Charles  I. 
in  1633.  His  initials  and  coronet,  together  with  those  of  his  wife,  occur  in 
small  pediments  over  two  of  the  windows  of  the  north  front  (Fig.  90),  being 
those  nearest  the  portcullis  gateway,  and  on  a  level  with  the  parapet  over  it. 

The  great  round  tower  at  the  north-east  angle  of  the  enceinte  is  still 
unaltered  on  the  basement  floor,  where  it  is  of  the  form  shown  in  Fig. 
91,  and  contains  a  well.  Access  to  the  upper  floors  of  this  tower  was 
obtained  by  a  stair  which  circled  round  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  as 
shown  by  dotted  lines.  The  inner  portion  of  the  wall  has  now  been 
removed,  so  as  to  enlarge  the  rooms  in  the  tower. 

The  whole  space  formerly  occupied  by  the  courtyard  is  now  covered  with 
buildings,  but  the  external  character  of  the  enceinte  is  still  fairly  preserved. 
The  postern  in  the  south-east  wall  has  now  been  built  up,  but  its  position 
is  still  traceable.  A  good  view  of  the  south-west  side  of  the  castle  is  given 
by  Grose,  "  as  it  appeared  before  the  last  alterations,"  showing  the  walls 
of  enceinte  and  postern,  with  its  towers  and  defences  all  complete.  From 
this  one  may  conceive  the  grandeur  of  the  pile  which  is  now  lost  to  us. 

The  lands  of  Dalhousie,  or  "  Dalwolsy,"  have  been  in  the  possession  of 
the  distinguished  family  of  Ramsay  since  the  twelfth  century,  when  they 
were  granted  to  them  by  David  I.,  and  the  present  site  has  no  doubt  borne 
a  succession  of  fortresses.  In  1400  the  castle  was  successfully  defended  by 
Sir  Alexander  Ramsay  against  Henry  iv.  In  1648  it  was  occupied  by 
Cromwell,  who  addressed  some  of  his  letters  from  it, 


ItAVENSCUAIG    CASTLE 


—  149  — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


RAVENSCRAIG  CASTLE,*  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

This  castle,  anciently  called  the  Craig  of  Tnverugie,  is  situated  a  few 
miles  from  Peterhead,  on  the  precipitous  banks  of  the  River  Ugie,  which 
flows  along  its  north  side.  The  castle  is  strongly  situated,  and  was 
evidently  defended  by  a  moat. 

In  a  published  lecture  by  William  Boyd,  Esq.,  F.R.S.E.,  entitled 
"Old  Inverugie,"  it  is  stated  that  "on  the  inner  edge  of  the  moat  there 
exist  the  remains  of  a  dyke  formed  of  large  stones,  which  had  served  as 
a  defence  on  that  quarter  against  assault ;  and  three  transverse  dykes, 


FIG.  93.-  Uaveuscraig  Castle.    Plan. 

the  remains  of  which ,  still  exist,  had  proved  serious  impediments  to  a 
hostile  party  endeavouring  to  obtain  access  by  the  moat.  Beyond  the 
ditch,  but  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  the  ground  is  broken  up  into  small 
rocky  ravines,  on  the  ridges  of  which  there  are  still  discernible  traces  of 
mounds  and  earthworks  evidently  designed  for  purposes  of  defence." 

The  walls  of  the  keep  (Fig.  93)  are  of  great  thickness,  ranging  from 
11  feet  to  9  feet,  and  are  pierced  on  all  sides  by  narrow  arrowlets  in  the 
form  of  a  cross,  a  shape  which  generally  indicates  considerable  antiquity. 

*  For  the  Plan  and  details  connected  therewith  given  in  the  following  descrip- 
tion we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Reid,  Windmill,  Peterhead. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    150 


RAVENSCRAIG    CASTLE 


A  drawing  of  one  of  these  is  given  along  with  the  Plan  (Fig.  93).     It  is 
about  3  feet  9  inches  high  by  2|  inches  of  opening. 

Ravenscraig  is  of  the  L  Plan,  and  measures  83  feet  from  east  to  west, 
and  73  feet  from  north  to  south,  the  breadth  of  the  main  body  being 
45  feet  and  that  of  the  wing  36  feet.  It  is  now  in  a  state  of  complete 
ruin,  and  the  interior  is  piled  up  with  stones  and  fallen  masonry,  all 
the  available  dressed  stones  having  been  extracted  and  carried  off  up- 
wards of  fifty  years  ago,  and  the  remainder  damaged  or  cast  down.  The 
entrance  was  on  the  south  side  near  the  re-entering  angle.  There  was 
evidently  a  door  in  the  south  front  at  the  first  floor  level,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  94.*  The  whole  of  the  ground  floor  was  vaulted,  but  the  arches 


FIG.  94. — Raveuscraiy  Castle,  from  South-East. 

have  all  fallen  except  that  of  the  south-west  chamber,  which  is  still  entire 
and  is  about  10  feet  high.  The  doors  from  the  various  compartments 
are  not  shown  on  the  Plan,  as  from  the  ruinous  condition  of  the  place 
their  position  cannot  be  accurately  determined.  Opposite  the  entrance 
door,  in  the  thickness  of  the  north  wall,  a  straight  flight  of  steps  led  up 
to  the  first  floor,  where  it  stopped.  The  inner  part  of  this  wall,  indicated 
by  dotted  lines  on  the  Plan,  was  doubtless  built  of  good  masonry,  but 
has  been  removed.  There  was  a  circular  stair  to  the  upper  floors  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall  at  the  re-entering  angle.  This  stair,  the  position 

*  This  view  is  copied  from  an  old  engraving,  probably  made  about  the  beginning 
of  this  century,  kindly  lent  us  by  William  Brand,  Esq. ,  Inverugie. 


PO11TINCROSS   CASTLE  —    151    —  SECOND   PERIOD 

of  which  is  indicated  on  the  Plan,  rose  to  a  considerable  height  above 
the  walls  in  the  form  of  a  turret,  as  seen  in  the  view  (Fig.  94).  The 
castle  has  not  now  the  complete  appearance  it  presents  in  the  view.  On 
this  point  Mr.  Boyd  says  :  "  Its  external  appearance  has  even  within  my 
recollection  undergone  considerable  change,  and  at  an  earlier  date  a  round 
tower,  rising  from  the  interior  of  the  building,  the  massive  ruins  of  which 
are  still  discernible,  had  imparted  to  it  a  picturesque  feature  which  is 
now  lost." 

Mr.  Boyd  further  states  that  "an  apartment  still  exists,  constructed 
in  the  thickness  of  the  western  wall,  which  has  been  used  as  an  oratory 
or  small  chapel,  and,  within  my  recollection,  its  ceiling  still  exhibited 
simple  yet  effective  decorations  in  colours  of  red,  black,  and  yellow." 

There  were  three  upper  floors,  but  they  are  now  inaccessible.  There 
are  four  fireplaces  in  the  castle,  three  of  them  being  on  the  first  floor,  in 
the  positions  shown  by  the  curved  recesses  on  the  Plan,  and  the  fourth 
one  was  on  the  third  floor.  The  two  shown  back  to  back  are  on  the  first 
floor.  The  walls  as  they  now  stand  are  about  40  feet  in  height.  The 
holes  in  the  inside  walls  for  the  insertion  of  strong  joists  for  supporting 
the  wooden  floors  are  visible  opposite  each  other  at  the  top. 

It  is  not  known  who  built  this  castle,  but  quite  a  fabulous  antiquity 
is  claimed  for  it  by  local  writers.  Mr.  Boyd  does  not  hesitate  to  set  it 
down  as  having  been  built  early  in  the  twelfth  century  by  a  Norman 
family  surnamed  Le  Neym. 

The  property  seems  to  have  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Norman 
family  of  Cheyne,  probably  from  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth 
century  till  about  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century,  when  the  male 
line  ended  and  the  place  passed  by  marriage  into  the  possession  of  the 
Keiths.  This  castle  has  considerable  affinity  with  others  of  the  L 
Plan  belonging  to  the  Second  Period,  such  as  Craigmillar,  Cessford, 
&c.,  and  was  therefore  probably  erected  by  the  Keiths  during  that 
period.  In  the  sixteenth  century  the  Keiths  also  built  the  neighbour- 
ing castle  of  Inverugie,  which  became  the  chief  residence  of  the  Maris- 
chal  or  elder  branch  of  the  family.  Mr.  Boyd  refers  to  a  charter 
granted  in  April,  15819,  by  the  Earl  to  John  Keith,  eldest  lawful  son 
and  apparent  heir  of  Andrew  Keith  of  Ravenscraig,  of  the  manor, 
fortalice,  and  castle  of  Ravenscraig,  and  in  the  same  year  it  is  recorded 
that  King  James  vi.  "was  at  the  Craig  of  Inverugie  at  the  laird's 
daughter's  marriage." 


PORTINCROSS  CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

/ 
A  ruin,  situated  on  a  rough  but  level  rocky  platform,  which  juts  into 

the  Frith  of  Clyde  about  two  miles  from  West  Kilbride  Railway  Station. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


152    — 


PORTINCROSS   CASTLE 


GROUND     FLOOR 


UPPER          FLOOR 


FIG.  95.— Portincross  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 


1'ORTINCROSS   CASTLE 


153   — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


Although  on  a  low  situation  (the  rocks  being  only  a  few  feet  above  high- 
water  level),  it  is  a  conspicuous  object  to  all  voyagers  on  the  Clyde.  On 
the  land  side  the  site  is  overshadowed  by  the  high  and  precipitous  cliffs 
of  Ardneil,  densely  covered  with  coppice-wood.  The  castle  is  a  fine 
example  of  an  early  Scottish  stronghold,  and,  although  entirely  neglected, 


FIG.  90.^-Portincross  Castle,  from  North-East. 

is  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation.  The  Plan  (Fig.  95)  is  somewhat  peculiar, 
the  wing  being  placed  at  the  end  of  the  oblong  keep  and  not  at  the  side, 
as  is  usual  in  buildings  of  the  L  Plan.  The  main  block  measures  58 
feet  1  inch  from  east  to  west  by  31  feet  in  breadth,  and  is  about/35  feet  6 
inches  high  to  the  parapet  walk,  above  which  it  rises  about  15  feet  more  to 


SECOND    PERIOD  154    —  PORTINCROSS    CASTLE 

the  top  of  the  existing  masonry  of  the  smaller  limb,  which  is  higher  than 
the  main  portion  (Fig.  96).  There  is  an  entrance  doorway  on  the  ground 
floor,  and  another  on  the  first  floor,  both  being  in  the  re-entering  angle, 
but  on  different  faces.  The  whole  of  the  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  as  well 
as  the  hall  upon  the  first  floor  (see  Section,  Fig.  95). 

In  approaching  the  castle  it  is  apparent  that  there  has  been  a 
wall  containing  an  outer  gateway  between  it  and  the  edge  of  the 
rock ;  the  checked  rybat  of  the  jamb  being  wrought  on  one  angle  of 
the  building.  A  path  about  8  feet  6  inches  wide  leads  to  the  door, 
inside  of  which  a  steep  and  dark  straight  flight  of  steps  leads  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall  to  the  first  floor,  where  it  terminates,  and  from 
the  landing  a  wheel-stair  in  the  south  wall  leads  to  the  top.  The 
central  wall  containing  the  staircase  divides  the  castle  into  two  parts. 
The  large  apartment  on  the  ground  floor  has  the  rock  for  its  pavement, 
and  seems  as  if  it  had  at  one  time  been  a  stable.  The  large  window  at 
the  north-west  angle  (which,  however,  is  doubtless  an  insertion),  is  pro- 
tected by  being  opposite  a  place  where  the  water  is  deep.  All  the  other 
windows  on  this  floor  are  easily  accessible,  but  they  are  mere  slits. 

A  peculiarity  of  this  structure  is  that  such  a  small  building  should  have 
two  kitchens,  one  on  the  ground  floor  and  the  other  on  the  first  floor.  It 
may  have  been  considered  necessary,  in  a  castle  which  was  frequently  in- 
habited by  royalty,  that  a  kitchen  should  not  only  be  conveniently  placed  for 
the  hall,  but  also  that  another  kitchen  should  be  provided  for  the  servants 
and  retainers,  who  would  probably  be  somewhat  numerous.  It  will  further 
be  observed  from  the  Plans  that  servants  or  others  entering  by  the  lower 
door  could  reach  the  upper  floors  and  battlements  without  going  through 
the  hall  and  disturbing  its  occupants ;  while  all  entering  by  the  upper 
door  had  to  go  through  the  hall.  The  dark  lower  kitchen  is  8  feet  8  inches 
wide  by  6  feet  9  inches  long,  or,  with  the  arched  fireplace,  11  feet  2  inches 
long.  A  rough  doorway  has  been  slapped  (as  shown  by  hatched  lines  on  the 
Ground  Plan)  into  this  kitchen  from  the  outside.  That  an  opening  should 
have  been  cut  through  here  during  the  later  occupation  of  the  castle  is 
nob  to  be  wondered  at,  as  the  original  entrance  to  this  kitchen  off  the 
stair,  with  steps  up  and  down  in  the  dark  passage,  is  very  awkward.  At 
the  top  of  the  stair  to  the  first  floor,  a  door  on  the  right  hand  leads  into 
the  hall,  and  another  on  the  left  into  the  upper  kitchen.  The  hall  is  24 
feet  long  by  16  feet  6  inches  wide,  and  19  feet  4  inches  to  the  top  of  the 
vault.  There  seems  to  have  been  an  upper  room  in  the  vault,  reached  by 
a  doorway  from  a  landing  in  the  wheel-stair,  but  it  is  now  built  up.  A 
large  window  over  the  hall  fireplace  gave  light  to  this  apartment  in  the 
vault.  The  hall  itself  is  lighted  by  two  large  windows  with  stone  seats, 
that  on  the  south  side  having  evidently  been  enlarged  at  a  later  date. 
A  mural  chamber  at  the  south-west  angle  enters  off  one  of  these  windows. 
A  service  window  opens  from  the  kitchen  into  a  recess  adjoining  the 


PORTINCROSS   CASTLE 


—  155  — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


entrance  passage.  At  the  top  of  the  wheel-stair  there  are  two  doorways, 
both  leading  into  the  main  block,  one  into  a  chamber  in  the  roof  space 
over  the  hall,  and  the  other  into  the  parapet  walk  which  runs  round  the 
building.  After  passing  round  this  walk,  a  flight  of  steps  about  6  feet 
wide  is  reached  leading  up  to  the  parapet  walk  of  the  wing,  which  is 
about  8  feet  higher  than  the  walk  of  the  main  block.  This  additional 


Fio.  97.  -Portincross  Castle,  from  South-West. 

height  permits  of  the  introduction  of  two  floors  above  the  kitchen,  and 
there  was  besides  a  place  in  the  attic,  which  has  evidently  been  enlarged 
at  some  later  period  by  raising  the  parapet  on  the  south  side  and  including 
the  walk  in  the  room  (Fig.  97).  These  rooms  in  the  tower  were  evidently 
bedrooms,  and  are  provided  with  fireplaces  and  garde-robes. 

The  following  interesting  extract  from  the  House  of  Rowallan  (p.  68), 
serves  to  throw  some  light  on  the  history  of  Portincross : — 


SECOND    PERIOD  —    156    —  DUCHAL    CASTLE 

"Adam  More  de  Rowallan  is  a  witness  to  a  charter  by  Robert  II. 
'Fergusio  de  Foulertone  de  arane  terras  nostras  de  Orqwhonyne,'  &c. 
'Apud  Arnele  26to  die  Novembris  anno  Regni  notri  secundo  (1372). 
'  Charter  in  the  possession  of  Captain  John  Fullerton  of  Kilmichail,  Arran, 
'lineal  representative  of  Fergus  the  grantee.' 

"  Portincross  Castle,  the  principal  messuage  of  the  barony  of  Arnele, 
and  doubtless  the  place  where  this  charter  received  the  royal  signature,  is 
still  pretty  entire. 

"  This  fortalice  has  been  rendered  memorable  by  the  frequency  of  the 
visits  of  the  first  Stuart  sovereign  to  it,  as  the  many  charters  which 
received  his  signature  within  its  venerable  walls  do  attest. —  Vide  Reg. 
Mag.  Sigilli,  passim.  Portincross,  with  its  appropriate  barony  of  Arnele, 
was  conferred  by  the  great  Bruce,  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign  (1306),  on 
Sir  Robert  Boyd  of  Kilmarnock,  with  whom  and  his  descendants,  the 
Boyds  of  Portincross,  it  remained  till  1737." 

The  castle  was  abandoned  shortly  after  the  restoration  of  Charles  n., 
after  which  it  was  occupied  by  fishermen  and  other  inferior  tenants,  until 
about  the  year  1739,  when,  having  been  unroofed  in  what  was  termed 
"  the  windy  January,"  it  was  consigned  to  ruin  and  decay.* 

Although  rather  more  complicated  in  its  arrangements  than  usually 
happens  in  castles  of  the  Second  Period,  this  structure  seems  to  belong  to 
that  date.  Some  of  the  original  arrangements  have,  however,  afterwards 
been  modified. 


FRAGMENTARY   REMAINS. 

The  following  are  the  partial  ruins  of  a  few  exceptional  castles 
which  seem  to  have  been  built  somewhat  after  the  style  of  the  fortresses 
of  the  First  Period,  viz.,  with  a  strong  wall  of  enceinte,  which  probably 
surrounded  a  keep.  Examples  of  similar  structures  exist  at  Craigmillar 
and  Dalhousie,  where  walls  of  enceinte,  with  angle  towers  of  considerable 
extent  and  strength,  still  enclose  keeps  of  the  Second  Period.  In  the 
following  instances  the  keeps  have  almost  entirely  disappeared,  but 
portions  of  the  walls  of  enceinte  still  survive.  It  is  of  course  impossible 
to  be  sure  of  the  date  of  these  fragments,  but  they  are  here  introduced  as 
apparently  the  most  appropriate  place  for  them. 


DUCHAL  CASTLE,  RENFREWSHIRE. 

Little  remains  of  this  ancient  stronghold,  and  what  still  exists  is  so 
buried  in  thick  wood  at  the  bottom  of  the  valley  of  the  River  Gryfe  as  to  be 
*  Paterson's  Ayrshire  Families,  Vol.  i.  p.  120. 


DUCHAL   CASTLE 


—    157    — 


SECOND    PERIOD 


scarcely  discoverable.  The  site  (Fig.  98),  which  is  about  two  miles  south- 
west from  Kilmalcolm,  consists  of  a  detached  mass  of  rock  almost  entirely 
surrounded  by  the  deep  ravine,  through  which  run  the  river  and  a 
confluent.  The  sides  of  the  rocky  site  are  either  perpendicular  for  a 
height  of  about  20  feet  or  very  precipitous.  The  whole  position,  which 
is  of  considerable  extent — being  about  70  yards  in  length  from  east  to 
west,  by  30  yards  wide — has  been  enclosed  with  a  strong  wall  of  enceinte, 
portions  of  which  still  remain.  Outside  of  this  wall  to  the  west  the  neck 
of  the  peninsula  has  been  cut  across  by  a  deep  ditch.  The  entrance 
gateway  has  probably  been  at  the  north-west  angle  (marked  A  on  Plan). 
The  general  surface  of  the  enclosure  is  fairly  level,  but  at  the  south-east 
angle  a  precipitous  pinnacle  rises  about  20  feet  above  the  courtyard.  On 


FIG.  98.— Duchal  Castle.     Plan. 

this  seems  to  have  stood  the  keep,  the  foundations  of  which,  surrounded 
by  a  higher  wall,  are  yet  traceable. 

The  wall  of  enceinte,  although  greatly  demolished,  has  been  of  a  much 
stronger  character  than  the  ordinary  enclosing  walls  of  courtyards,  and 
may  possibly  be  the  remains  of  a  thirteenth-century  castle.  The  keep, 
however,  was  not  likely  so  old,  but  in  its  present  state  of  dilapidation  it 
cannot  be  further  described.  The  whole  castle  is  most  probably  a 
structure  of  the  Second  Period.  The  estate  belonged  from  the  thirteenth 
century  to  the  family  of  Lyle,  the  representative  of  which  was  raised  to 
the  peerage  in  1446  as  Lord  Lyle.  In  1544  the  property  passed  to  the 
Porterfield  family. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    158   — 


BALLUMBIE    CASTLE 


BALLUMBIE  CASTLE,*  FORPARSHIRB. 

This  ruined  stronghold,  in  Murroes  parish,  is  situated  about  four  miles 
north-east  from  Dundee.  It  has  been  an  extensive  castle,  consisting  of 
walls  of  enceinte,  with  round  towers  at  the  corners.  Two  of  these  towers 
still  exist  (Fig.  99),  with  the  connecting  curtain  between,  as  well  as  one  of 


Fio.  99.— Ballumbie  Castle. 

the  side  walls.  The  castle  measures  about  70  feet  over  the  towers,  and 
the  ruins  of  the  return  wall  extend  to  about  the  same  length  ;  the  height 
of  these  walls  as  they  now  stand  is  about  15  feet. 

The  barony  of  Ballumbie  was  in  olden  times  possessed  by  a  family  of 

*  The  accompanying  Plan  of  Ballumbie  is  by  A.  Johnston,  Esq.,  architect, 
Dundee,  and  the  view  is  copied  from  an  old  drawing  in  the  collection  of  the  Royal 
Scottish  Academy,  Edinburgh  ;  while  for  the  historical  notes  we  are  indebted  to  the 
Rev.  James  Nicoll,  Murroes. 


TINNIES    CASTLE  -    159    -  SECOND    PERIOD 

the  name  of  Lovell,  and  in  the  east  wall  there  is  a  carved  stone  divided 
into  six  compartments,  placed  in  two  rows.  The  centre  shield  in  the  upper 
row  contains  the  Lovell  arms — "three  piles  surmounted  of  a  fesse  waved" 
(Nisbet,  Vol.  I.  p.  203).  On  the  lower  series  the  middle  shield  is  blank ; 
the  dexter  shield  has  over  it  the  letters  M.  M.,  and  contains  in  chief  six 
fleurs-de-lis,  and  a  lion  rampant  in  base,  apparently  the  Monorgan  arms 
(see  Stodart,  Vol.  I.  plate  115).  Over  the  sinister  shield  are  the  initials 
I.  S.,  and  the  shield  bears  three  lions'  heads,  similar  to  what  is  found  on  a 
stone  in  the  parish  church,  with  the  word  "Scote"  over  it.  From  Laing's 
Scottish  Seals,  Nos.  720,  721,  724,  and  Nisbet's  Heraldry,  Vol.  i.  p.  303,  it 
appears  that  we  have  here  the  arms  of  the  Scotts  of  Balwearie. 

The  first  wife  of  Henry  Lovell  (in  1556)  was  one  of  that  family,  whose 
initials  are  represented  by  the  above  I.  S. ;  she  died,  and  before  1561  he 
appears  to  have  married  one  of  the  family  of  Monorgan,  whose  initials  and 
arms  are  above  mentioned,  while  the  date  is  carved  on  the  two  extreme 
upper  spaces  thus,  Jjft°  ^§c  Jbt.  To  judge  from  the  fragment  of  the 
castle  remaining,  it  may  have  belonged  to  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth 
century,  as  it  appears  to  be  a  portion  of  an  enclosing  wall  similar  to  that 
of  Craigmillar  or  Boghall ;  and  it  is  possible  that  this  stone  may  be  a  later 
insertion.  The  Lovells  continued  in  possession  of  Ballumbie  till  the  be- 
ginning of  the  seventeenth  century. 

TINNIES  CASTLE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

This  remarkable  ruin  is  situated  on  a  steep  detached  hill  overlooking 
Dmmmelzier  Haugh  and  Merlin's  Grave  on  the  south  side  of  the  Tweed, 
about  eight  miles  above  Peebles.  It  has  consisted  of  a  quadrangular 
enclosing  wall  between  60  and  70  feet  square,  with  round  towers  18  feet  in 
diameter  at  each  angle.  The  tower  at  the  northern  angle  still  exists  for 
about  5  feet  in  height,  and  has  three  shot-holes  in  it.  The  foundation  of 
the  western  tower  is  visible,  and  there  are  traces  of  the  other  two.  The 
walls  of  the  towers  are  v  about  4  feet  thick,  and  the  curtains  between  are 
about  5  feet  thick.  The  space  within  is  covered  with  enormous  heaps  of 
stones  and  fragments  of  walls,  probably  the  ruins  of  the  dwellings  within 
the  enceinte. 

In  its  general  outline  this  structure  (Fig.  100)  bears  some  resemblance 
to  the  castles  of  the  First  Period,  but  from  the  thinness  of  the  wall  of  the 
surviving  round  tower,  and  from  its  containing  shot-holes,  it  seems  to  be 
of  later  date.  The  curtain  walls,  however,  are  thicker,  and  may  possibly 
be  portions  of  an  original  strength  of  the  thirteenth  century,  to  which 
round  towers  have  been  added  at  a  subsequent  period.  Tradition  gives 
the  castle  a  very  ancient  origin,  and  it  has  been  identified  with  the 
Alteutha  of  Ossian,  the  residence  of  Dunthalmo,  who  was  attacked  and 
slain  by  Ossian  at  the  gate  of  his  castle.*  It  was  probably  the  strength  of 
*  Celtic  Magazine — Letter  by  Hately  Waddell,  January  1882. 


SECOND    PERIOD 


—    160   — 


TINNIES    CASTLE 


the  Tweedies,  a  powerful  clan  in  the  upper  valley  of  the  Tweed,  before 
they  built  their  castle  of  Drummelzier  on  the  plain  below. 

When  Cardonnel  published  his  views  about  a  century  ago,  one  of  the 
walls  and  two  of  the  towers  were  in  much  better  preservation  than  at 
present. 

As  the  precipitous  nature  of  the  site  renders  the  building  nearly 
inaccessible  on  all  sides,  it  must  have  been  a  place  of  great  strength. 

Dr.  Chambers  mentions*  that  Tinnies  was  destroyed  by  royal  war- 
rant in  1592.  But  this  warrant,  which  requires  William  Stewart  of 


PIG.  100.— Tinnies  Castle.    Plan. 

Traquire  to  "  dimolois,  and  cause  be  dimoloist  and  cussen  down  to  the 
ground,  the  place  and  houss  of  Tynnies,"  probably  applied  to  a  castle  of 
the  same  name  (Tinnies)  in  Yarrow,  which  has  entirely  disappeared.  The 
Tweedies,  to  whom  the  castle  now  described  belonged,  are  not  mentioned 
in  connection  with  Bothwell's  treason,  which  was  the  cause  of  the  above 
proclamation.  By  it  Harden  and  Dryhope,  in  Selkirkshire,  were  also  to 
be  demolished,  and  the  Tinnies  in  Yarrow  lies  much  nearer  their  locality 
than  that  of  Drummelzier. 

*  Peeblesshire,  p.  119. 


THE   CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND. 

THIRD  PERIOD— 1400  TO  1542. 

THIS  period  coincides  with  the  reign  of  the  Jameses,  from  about  1400  till 
the  death  of  James  v.  in  1542.  It  was  a  period  during  which  the  country 
was  regaining  its  lost  ground,  and  gradually  recovering  a  considerable 
share  of  the  prosperity  it  enjoyed  before  the  War  of  Independence. 
Although  disturbed  with  internal  commotions,  it  was  freer  than  formerly 
from  assaults  from  without.  Agriculture  was  advancing  and  the  trade 
of  the  country  was  increasing.  The  feudal  and  chivalric  spirit  of  the 
age  had  now  leisure  to  develop  itself  and  to  produce  that  display  of 
architectural  magnificence  of  which  it  was  so  fond.  The  higher  nobles 
were  no  longer  satisfied  with  the  simple  keeps  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
and  larger  castles,  with  buildings  surrounding  a  courtyard,  were  gradually 
introduced.  In  the  royal  palaces,  as  previously  noticed  (Vol.  I.  p.  223), 
this  plan  was  fully  developed,  the  accommodation  at  Stirling  and 
Linlithgow  being  on  the  same  extensive  scale  as  in  France  and  Eng- 
land, while  the  decorative  features  were  also  carefully  attended  to. 
Those  of  the  barons  who  could  afford  it  endeavoured  to  follow  the 
royal  example,  and  either  erected  new  castles  on  the  same  plan,  or 
extended  the  accommodation  of  their  old  keeps  by  the  erection  of  halls 
and  other  structures  round  the  walls  of  the  courtyard.  Efforts  were 
also  made  to  follow  the  example  of  royalty  in  regard  to  the  ornamental 
elements. 

The  distinctive  feature  of  the  Third  Period  is  this  erection  of  new 
castles  and  extension  of  old  ones  in  the  form  of  buildings  surrounding  a 
courtyard.  In  many  cases  the  idea  is  very  imperfectly  carried  out,  the 
attempt  being  limited  to  erections  on  only  one  or  two  sides  of  the 
enclosure ;  but  the  effort  to  follow  the  fashion  is  apparent,  although  the 
means  to  do  so  completely  have  evidently  been  wanting. 

While  the  wealthier  nobles  adopted  the  courtyard  plan,  those  of 
more  limited  means  still  followed  the  old  forms  and  built  mansions  like 
those  of  the  previous  century,  after  the  plan  of  the  Norman  keep.  Some 

L 


I 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    162    —  CASTLE   STALCAIRE 

of  these  are  of  the  simplest  design,  and  are  hardly  distinguishable  from 
the  keeps  of  the  Second  Period,  while  in  others  various  indications  occur 
of  the  greater  ease  of  the  times  in  the  diminished  severity  of  their  style. 
The  walls  are  reduced  in  thickness,  and  the  battlements  are  constructed 
not  for  defence  alone,  some  attempts  at  ornament  being  likewise  intro- 
duced. The  accommodation  is  also  increased  by  various  expedients,  such 
as  the  addition  of  a  wing  to  contain  bedrooms,  small  chambers  in  the 
thickness  of  the  walls,  &c.,  all  as  already  more  fully  explained  in  Vol.  i. 
p.  224. 

In  describing  the  castles  of  this  period  we  shall  adhere  to  the  plan 
formerly  adopted,  commencing  with  the  simplest  types,  then  following 
with  the  enlarged  keeps,  and  finally  giving  an  account  of  the  structures 
designed  as  or  extended  into  castles,  surrounding  a  courtyard,  either 
partially  or  entirely. 

During  the  fifteenth  century  the  Lord  of  the  Isles  and  the  island 
chiefs  were  sometimes  in  revolt  and  sometimes  in  subjection,  but  they 
seem  to  have  followed  the  lead  of  the  mainland  in  regard  to  the  style 
of  their  castles,  which  at  this  period  as  in  others  corresponded  with  that 
of  the  rest  of  Scotland. 

We  shall,  as  before,  begin  our  description  with  the  keeps  of  the  West 
Highlands  and  Islands,  and  then  take  up  those  of  other  districts  in 
succession,  thus  treating  the  subject  to  some  extent  topographically  as 
well  as  historically. 


CASTLE  STALCAIRE,*  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  well-preserved  keep,  occupying  a  prominent  position  in  the  course 
of  the  steamers  which  sail  between  Oban  and  Fort  William.  It  stands 
on  a  sea-girt  rock  opposite  Portnacroish  at  the  mouth  of  Loch  Laich,  a 
small  branch  of  Loch  Linnhe.  This  castle  is  supposed  to  have  been 
built  by  Duncan  Stewart  of  Appin  in  the  reign  of  James  iv.,  who  is  said 
to  have  occupied  it  as  a  hunting  seat.  The  name,  which  signifies  "  the 
castle  of  the  falconer,"  is  probably  derived  from  that  circumstance.  The 
first  laird  of  Appin  was  Dougal,  the  natural  son  of  the  last  Stewart, 
Lord  of  Lorn,  whose  daughter  carried  the  lordship  to  Argyll  in  1500. 
His  son  Duncan  followed  Argyll,  and  was  much  in  the  king's  service, 
and  aided  considerably  in  subduing  the  islanders.  For  this  work  he 
received  the  lands  of  Duror  and  Glencoe.  In  1502  we  find  him  again 
actively  employed  in  opposition  to  Donald  Dubh,  who  claimed  the  lord- 
ship of  the  isles.  For  his  services  on  that  occasion  he  obtained  a  grant 
of  the  lands  of  Mamore. 

*  We  have  to  thank  Dr.  Christison  and  Mr.  Cossar  Mackenzie  for  Plans  and 
particulars  of  this  castle. 


CASTLE    STALCAIRE 


—    163    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


Duncan's  castle  (Fig.  101)  is  precisely  of  the  same  description  as  many 
erected  at  that  date  in  other  parts  of  Scotland.  It  consists  of  a  simple 
rectangular  keep  about  50  feet  by  40  feet,  and  four  stories  in  height. 
The  entrance  door  is,  as  usual,  on  the  first  floor  level.  It  is  arched  and 
surmounted  by  a  panel  (Fig.  102)  with  an  ornamental  but  much  decayed 
border.  The  shield  is  said  to  have  contained  the  royal  arms,  but  the 
charge  is  now  illegible.  An  outer  staircase  has  been  built  up  to  the 
door  in  more  recent  times,  but  originally  there  would  be  no  stair,  the 
only  approach  to  the  door  being  by  a  ladder.  The  stone  stair  as  at  first 
built  reached  to  the  side  of  the  door  only,  leaving  an  empty  space  in 
front,  which  was  probably  filled  with  a  moveable  wooden  platform,  for 
which  indeed  the  holes  at  the  sill  are  visible ;  but  this  space  has  sub- 

T 


OUTSIDE    STAIR 


Pio.  101.— Castle  Stalcaire.    Plans. 


sequently  been  built  up  with  a  solid  wall  from  the  ground.  Over  this 
doorway  a  wide  machicolation  on  two  bold  corbels  (Fig.  103)  is  introduced 
at  the  level  of  the  parapet  in  order  to  add  to  its  defence.  The  hall, 
31  feet  by  21  feet,  occupies  the  whole  of  the  first  floor.  It  has  windows 
on  three  sides,  one  of  them  having  stone  seats,  and  a  fireplace  in  the 
fourth  side.  A  wheel-stair  in  the  north-west  angle  leads  to  the  second 
floor,  which  seems  to  have  been  the  principal  apartment,  having  a  highly 
ornamental  fireplace  and  a  garde-robe  in  the  thickness  of  the  west  wall, 
the  walls  being  about  9  feet  in  thickness.  The  ornaments  on  the  jambs 
of  the  fireplace  have  been  of  considerable  interest,  as  they  seem  to  have 
been  carved  with  ornament  of  a  Celtic  pattern,  not  unlike  what  is  seen 
on  some  of  the  sculptured  stones.  Traces  of  this  carving  are  still  visible, 


THIRD    PERIOD 


164    — 


CASTLE    STALCAIRE 


but  it  is  greatly  decayed.  The  tliird  or  top  story  as  it  now  exists  was 
partly  in  the  roof  and  was  lit  by  dormer  windows  (Fig.  104).  There  is, 
however,  every  reason  to  suppose  that  when  originally  erected  the  walls 
would  be  finished  with  a  parapet  and  walk  all  round,  and  that  the  upper 

story  has  been  added  and  the  dormers 
introduced  at  a  later  date.  The  style 
of  work  shows  this,  and  also  the 
gargoyles,  which  have  been  left  at 
the  level  of  the  original  parapet  walk, 
although  no  longer  of  any  use.  The 
turret  at  the  south-east  angle  is  the 
only  angle  turret  on  the  building, 
and  is  placed  diagonally  opposite  the 
staircase  turret.  It  is  well  provided 
with  shot-holes,  and  has  a  curious 
raised  ornament  in  the  form  of  a 
human  head  at  the  side  of  the  window. 
A  capehouse  has,  at  the  date  of  the 
above  additions,  been  carried  up 
above  the  staircase,  and  forms  a 
small  chamber,  which  no  doubt  served 
as  a  look-out  station,  commanding  as 
it  does  a  fine  view  over  the  loch  to 
the  north  and  west.  The  fireplace  on 
this  floor  has  also  been  more  than 
usually  ornamental. 

The  castle  is  stated  to  have  been 
re-roofed  and  re-floored  in  1631.  The 
above  alteration  of  the  top  floor  was 
probably  executed  at  that  time. 

The  basement  floor  is  vaulted,  and 
would,  as  usual,  contain  the  stores. 
A  stair  descends  to  it  from  the  first  floor,  and  it  has  had  a  separate  outer 
door  on  the  east  side,  with  double  mouldings  round  the  jambs  and  arch. 
This  door,  like  that  on  the  first  floor,  was  defended  with  a  wide  machi- 
colation, projected  on  corbels  at  the  top  of  the  wall  (Fig.  104).  The  base- 
ment has  also  been  provided  with  a  loop  in  the  south  gable.  A  small 
dungeon  of  the  usual  type  seems  to  have  been  entered  by  a  trap  in  the 
first  floor  at  the  foot  of  the  turret  staircase.  At  the  base  of  the  west 
wall  an  opening  occurs  with  a  carefully  dressed  check  in  the  masonry, 
as  if  to  receive  a  stone  to  close  it.  This  was  probably  the  outlet  from 
the  garde-robes  above ;  other  garde-robes  projected  on  corbels  are  visible 
in  the  west  elevation.  There  would  appear  to  have  been  a  small  court- 
yard on  the  south  side  of  the  tower,  as  the  foundations  of  the  enclosing 


FIG.  102.— Castle  Stalcaire. 
Entrance  Doorway. 


CASTLE  STALCAIHE 


—    165    — 


THIRD    PEKIOL) 


ft 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    166   — 


CASTLE    STALCAIRE 


wall  are  visible  to  the  south  of  the  keep,  and  the  springing  stone  of  the 
arch  of  a  doorway  which  would  lead  into  the  courtyard  still  exists  at 
the  south-west  angle.  The  ground  to  the  south  of  the  tower  is  the  only 
place  on  the  islet  where  space  for  such  a  courtyard  could  be  found.  A 


PIG.  104.— Castle  Stalcaire,  from  South-West. 

tank  for  water  seems  to  have  been  constructed  in  the  rock  to  the  west 
of  the  keep  in  connection  with  a  spring  which,  strange  as  it  may  appear, 
existed  there. 

The  only  landing  place  on  the  little  islet  is  at  the  south-east  angle, 
where  some  rude  steps  formed  in  the  rock  are  still  traceable. 


KINLOCHALINE   CASTLE 


—    167    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD  — 168    —  KINLOCHALINE    CASTLE 


KINLOOHALINE  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  strong  but  somewhat  rudely  constructed  keep,  which  occupies  the 
summit  of  a  pointed  rock  above  the  Black  water,  near  its  junction  with 
Loch  Aline,  at  the  head  of  the  loch.  Loch  Aline  runs  north-eastwards 
out  of  the  Sound  of  Mull.  It  is  about  two  and  a  half  miles  long,  and  the 
approach  to  the  old  castle  is  particularly  beautiful  (Fig.  105).  The  keep 
is  sadly  mutilated,  but  it  still  partly  retains  the  fine  corbel-course  of  the 
parapet  and  angle  turrets  (Fig.  107).  There  are  also  some  remains  of  a 
corbelled  machicolation  over  the  entrance  doorway.  The  walls  (Fig.  106) 
are  about  10  feet  in  thickness,  and  have  deep  square  recesses  for  the 
windows,  which  are  small  and  narrow.  Adjoining  the  entrance  doorway 
is  the  guardroom  in  a  wall-chamber,  with  the  wheel-staircase  adjoining  it, 


Fio.  106.— Kinlochaline  Castle.    Plan. 

also  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall.  A  straight  stair,  entering  from  the 
recess  of  one  of  the  west  windows,  leads  to  the  basement,  which  is  vaulted, 
but  is  now  blocked  up.  The  north  side  of  the  keep  (Fig.  108)  shows  a  row 
of  plain  corbels,  corresponding  in  position  with  the  enriched  corbel  table  of 
the  south  front.  It  seems  not  unlikely,  from  the  massive  nature  of  the 
walls,  that  this  keep  may  be  a  fifteenth-century  structure,  of  which  the 
north  elevation  shows  the  original  corbelling,  and  that  the  ornamental 
Avork  on  the  south  side  is  a  restoration  of  the  sixteenth  century.  The 
walls  are  to  a  considerable  extent  composed  of  blocks  containing  the  fossils 
of  the  lias  limestone — a  very  rare  thing  in  Scotland.  The  only  tradition  as 
to  its  origin  is  that  it  was  built  by  a  Maclnnes,  and  that  it  was  captured 
by  Colkitto  in  the  seventeenth  century. 


KINLOCHALINB   CASTLE 


—    169    — 


T1I1KD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    170    — 


CASTLE    MEARNAIG 


'""'•^iKmm 


Fm.  108.— Kinlochaline  Castle,  from  North- East. 


CASTLE  MEARNAIG,  GLBNSANDA,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  castle  stands  on  the  Morven  side  of  Loch  Linnhe,  opposite  Castle 
Coeffin,  in  Lismore.  It  occupies  the  summit  of  a  conical  hill  of  rudely 
columnar  basalt,  which  fills  the  mouth  of  a  small  glen  (Fig.  109).  We 
have  found  no  trace  of  its  history,  but  from  the  style  of  the  structure  we 
infer  that  it  belongs  to  the  fifteenth  century.  It  is  a  small  rectangular 


CASTLE    MEARNAIG 


—  171  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    172    -  CASTLE    MAOIL 

keep,  44  feet  by  30  feet  (Fig.  110),  with  walls  about  8  feet  in  thickness, 
leaving  an  internal  space  of  only  27  feet  by  14  feet.  A  small  buttress 
supports  the  south-east  angle.  The  entrance  door  is  in  the  centre  of  the 
east  or  seaward  side.  It  is  some  feet  above  the  ground  on  the  outside, 
and  seems  to  have  had  a  small  wooden  platform  supported  on  beams 
inserted  in  the  wall,  for  which  the  apertures  still  exist,  as  at  Castle 
Stalcaire  (see  Plan).  A  wooden  stair  or  ladder  would  lead  up  to  this 
landing,  which  of  course  could  be  easily  removed  in  case  of  attack.  From 


Fio.  110.— Castle  Mearnaig.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

the  ingoing  of  the  doorway,  the  staircase  winds  through  the  thickness  of 
the  wall  to  the  upper  floor.  The  ground  floor  seems  to  have  contained 
the  stores,  and  the  first  floor  the  hall.  The  north  window  of  the  latter 
has  a  trilobed  arch-head — a  somewhat  unusual  piece  of  ornament  in  castles 
of  this  locality  and  date.  There  was  no  doubt  a  third  story  above  the 
hall,  but  it  would  appear  to  have  been  at  least  partly  in  the  roof,  as  there 
is  an  indication  of  the  battlements  having  existed  at  about  the  level  of  the 
present  top  of  the  wall.  The  situation  and  surroundings  are  fine,  but 
there  is  little  architectural  interest  in  the  building  itself. 


CASTLE  MAOIL,*  SKYE,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

A  strong  keep  of  the  Macdonalds,  built  on  a  detached  mass  of  rock 
near  Kyle  Akin,  and  commanding  the  narrow  strait  between  the  mainland 
and  Skye.  It  was  originally  30  feet  6  inches  long  by  17  feet  wide  in- 
ternally, with  walls  9  feet  in  thickness,  but  only  those  at  the  north-east 
and  south-west  angles  remain.  The  site  is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by 
the  sea,  and  on  the  fourth  is  cut  off  from  a  neck  of  land  which  rises  about 

*  We  have  to  thank  J.  W.  Burns,  Esq.,  of  Kilmahew,  for  the  following  particulars 
and  measurements. 


LITTLE   CUMBRAE   CASTLE,    ETC.     —    173   — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


20  feet  above  the  tide.  The  walls  are  built  close  to  the  edge  of  the  rock, 
and  the  portions  remaining  are  still  of  some  height  (35  to  40  feet),  and 
contain  windows  about  2  feet  square,  with  wide  square  recesses  internally 
arched  over.  There  are  no  signs  of  vaulting  or  rests  for  beams,  but  the 
tower  has  been  at  least  three  stories  in  height.  From  its  style  it  probably 
belongs  to  the  fifteenth  century. 


CRAIGNISH  CASTLE,*  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  was  originally  a  simple  keep  (Fig.  Ill),  41  feet  9  inches  long  by 
33  feet  6  inches  wide,  with  walls  7  feet  6  inches  thick,  but  has  now  been 
much  altered,  and  forms  part  of  a  modern  mansion.  The  ground  floor  is 
vaulted.  It  stands  on  a  detached  rock  on  the  west  coast  of  Argyllshire, 


FIG.  111. — Craignish  Castle.    Plan. 


northwards  from  the  Crinan  Canal.  It  belonged  to  the  Macdougal 
Campbells  of  Craignish,  a  branch  of  the  Campbells  of  Lochaw.  The 
character  of  the  work  seems  to  place  this  building  in  the  same  category 
with  Castle  Maoil  and  other  simple  keeps  in  the  West. 


LITTLE  CUMBRAE  CASTLE,  BUTESHIRE  ;    FAIRLIE  CASTLE, 
LAW  CASTLE,  AND  SKELMORLIE  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

These  simple  towers  are  all  situated  in  the  same  locality,  round  the 
entrance  to  the  Frith  of  Clyde,  and  have  such  a  striking  resemblance  to 
each  other,  both  in  their  internal  arrangements  and  external  aspect,  that 
they  will  be  best  described  together.  The  plan  of  each  is  an  oblong, 
which  at  Cumbrae  (Fig.  112)  and  Law  (Fig.  113)  is  of  the  same  length, 
viz.,  41  feet  3  inches,  and  at  Fairlie  (Fig.  114),  45  feet  5  inches,  while 

*  We  have  to  thank  Mr.  James  Edgar,  Ri  Cruin,  Lochgilphead,  for  particulars 
of  this  castle,  and  Mr.  J.  Bryce  for  the  Plan  before  the  late  alterations. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    174 


LITTLE   CUMBRAE   CASTLE,    ETC. 


the  width  of  29  feet  at  Fairlie.  is  only  exceeded  by  a  few  inches  at  Cum- 
brae, and  by  12  inches  at  Law.  The  height  from  the  ground  floor  level 
to  the  parapet  walk  at  Fairlie  (see  Section,  Fig.  114)  is  about  41  feet  6 
inches,  which  is  less  than  that  at  Cumbrae  (see  Section,  Fig.  1 1 2)  by  4  feet 


ENTi 


GROUND         FLOOR 


SECOND        FLOOR" 


FIG.  112. — Little  Cumbrae  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

6  inches,  and  at  Law  (see  Section,  Fig.  113)  by  18  inches.  Skelmorlie 
(Fig.  115)  is  48  feet  6  inches  long  by  30  feet  wide,  and  29  feet  high  to 
the  present  eaves.  These  figures  show  how  nearly  these  castles  approxi- 
mate to  each  other  in  size,  but  it  is  in  the  internal  arrangements, 
especially  in  relation  to  the  kitchen  and  hall,  that  their  similarity 


LITTLE   CUMBRAE   CASTLK,    ETC.     —    175    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


is  most  striking.  The  kitchen  and  hall  of  each  castle  are  both  situated 
on  the  first  floor,  and  are  reached  by  a  wheel-stair  from  the  entrance 
door  on  the  ground  floor  (see  the  Plans),  part  of  the  end  of  the  hall 
being  in  every  case  screened  off  with  a  stone  partition  so  as  to  form  a 


GROUND   FLOOR       SECOND   FLOOR 

FIG.  113. — Law  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

kitchen.  These  kitchens  are  of  very  small  dimensions,  being  only  about 
4  feet  wide  by  about  14  feet  long.  Within  the  kitchen,  and  separated 
from  it  by  an  arch,  is  the  fireplace,  which  at  Skelmorlie,  Fairlie,  and 
Law  equals  the  kitchen  in  size.  In  the  two  latter  the  kitchens  have 
separate  entrances  from  the  stair,  while  at  Cumbrae  the  entrance  was 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    176   —     LITTLE    CUMBRAE   CASTLE,    ETC. 


through  the  hall ;  at  Skelmorlie  this  point  cannot  be  determined  owing  to 
alterations.  These  kitchens,  although  rude  and  imperfect  according  to 
modern  ideas,  show  a  considerable  advance  in  refinement  of  manners  and 
domestic  comfort  on  what  is  to  be  found  in  many  of  the  small  castles  of 


GROUND        FLOOR 


SECOND        FLOOR 


FIG.  114.— Fairlie  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

the  period.  In  most  of  these  the  cooking  evidently  took  place  either  in 
the  hall  itself  or  in  the  open  air.  The  position  of  the  kitchen  and  hall  in 
the  castles  now  treated  of  resembles  what  is  to  be  found  at  Saddell  in 
Kintyre,  and  at  Elphinstone  and  Comlongan,  where,  however,  the  arrange- 
ments are  much  more  complicated. 


LITTLE    CUMBRAE    CASTLE,    ETC.     177    


THIRD    PERIOD 


SECOND   FLOOR  PLAN 


WING 
NOW 

REMOVE 


GrROUND  FLOOR  PLAN 


Fio.  115.— Skelmorlie  Castle.    Plans. 


-    178    -  -     LITTLE    CUMBRAE    CASTLE,    ETC. 


At  Law  and  Fail-lie  a  private  stair  leads  to  the  cellar.  At  Cumbrae 
no  such  convenience  exists,  and  was  not  required,  according  to  the  original 
construction  of  the  castle,  as  the  entrance  door  was  on  the  first  floor  (the 
present  ground  floor  entrance  being  an  afterthought),  and  led  straight 
into  the  hall,  so  that  the  stair  leading  from  the  entrance  door  down  to 
the  cellars  was  entirely  under  the  control  of  the  head  of  the  house,  and 
was  thus  in  a  manner  private.  At  Law  and  Fairlie  the  entrance  door 
being  on  the  ground  floor,  a  private  stair  to  the  cellar  is  introduced  in  the 
usual  manner.  The  cellars,  which  are  two  in  number  in  all  the  four 


FIG.  110.— Little  Cumbrae  Castle,  from  South- West. 

castles,  are  vaulted.  Only  at  Cumbrae  is  there  a  second  vault  over  the 
hall.  The  second  floor  in  each  case  is  divided  into  two  rooms,  each  with 
its  fireplace  and  garde-robe  in  the  thickness  of  the  walls. 

At  Cumbrae  and  Fairlie  (Figs.  116  and  117)  the  corbelling  round  the  top 
of  the  walls  is  of  the  same  design,  and  consists,  first,  of  a  continuous  course 
of  corbelling,  above  which  the  chequered  arrangement  of  corbels  so  common 
at  this  period  is  introduced.  At  Fairlie  there  is  a  round  angle  turret  at 
each  corner,  while  at  Cumbrae  these  occur  only  at  three  corners,  the  fourth 
corner,  as  seen  in  the  view,  being  square.  Law  (Fig.  118)  differs  from 
these  in  having  no  chequered  corbelling,  but  it  has  instead  three  courses 


LITTLE   CUMBRAE   CASTLE,    ETC.     —    179   


THIRD    PERIOD 


of  continuous  corbelling  with  turrets.  This  castle,  from  the  circumstance 
that  its  lofty  gable  and  chimneys  still  stand,  differs  considerably  in 
appearance  from  the  other,  where  these  features  have  fallen. 

Pont,  in  Cunning Jutrn  Topographised,  says  :  "  Fairlie  Castle  is  a  stronge 
toure,  werey  ancient,  beutified  vith  orchardes  and  gardins  it  belongs  to 
Fairlie  de  eodem,  chieffe  of  ther  name." 


r3 


it  4=:^i  -3L- 

i*     J-:  ?T    7 


Fio.  117.— Fairlie  Castle,  from  Sonth-East. 

Dobie,  in  his  edition  of  Pont,  states  that  "  this  family  is  said  to  have 
sprung  from  a  younger  son  of  Ross  of  Tarbet,  who,  having  got  the  lands 
of  Fairlie,  took  from  them  his  surname."  The  family  is  now  extinct,  and 
the  estate  of  Fairlie  was  acquired  from  the  last  survivor  by  David,  first 
Earl  of  Glasgow.  The  castle  stands  on  a  small  plateau  on  a  thickly 
wooded  hill-side,  sloping  down  to  the  frith.  Skirting  the  plateau  there 
is  a  deep  ravine,  through  which  winds  the  Fairlie  Burn.  All  traces  of 
the  orchards  and  gardens  referred  to  by  Pont  have  entirely  disappeared, 
and  the  place  has  a  neglected  appearance  by  no  means  pleasing. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    180   —     LITTLE   CUMBRAE   CASTLE,    ETC. 


.'"     '    '  I     i        ',' I  ----- ~n^=z 


\         £ 


LITTLE    CUMBRAE    CASTLE,    ETC.     —    181    — 


TUIHD    PEKIOD 


Confined  and  narrow  as  the  accommodation  of  such  a  tower  may  seem 
at  the  present  time,  it  is  evident  that  a  considerable  amount  of  domestic 
comfort  was  undoubtedly  experienced  within  its  walls.  In  the  Testament 
of  "  vmquhile  Katarine  Craufurd,  Lady  Fairuelie,  the  tyme  of  her  deceis, 
quha  deceist  vpone  the  fyift  day  of  December"  (anno  1601),  " ffaithfullie 
maid  and  gevin  vp  be  hir  awin  mouthe  at  the  fortalice  of  Fairnelie  hir 
duelling  place,"  mention  is  made  of  "  guidis,  geir,  insicht  plenissing,"  with 
endless  stores  of  napery,  "walkit  and  unwalkit,"  wearing  apparel,  and  all 


^*§^v>/// JV 1 

'--,  ?***&—-;•*:'£  ^  :^L 


FIG.  119.— Skelmorlie  Castle,  from  North-East. 

sorts  of  cooking  utensils ;  with  stores  of  barrelled  meat  and  wine,  full  kists, 
large  and  small,  with  cattle,  sheep,  corn,  and  "beir,"  and  numerous  other 
articles,  all  carefully  priced  and  printed  at  length  in  The  History  of  the 
County  of  Ayr,  by  James  Paterson. 

Law  Castle  is  situated  on  an  eminence  overlooking  the  village  of  West 
Kilbride.  "It  is  supposed  to  have  been,"  says  Dobie,  "built  about  1468 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  Princess  Mary,  sister  of  James  IIL,  on  her 
marriage  with  Thomas,  Master  of  Boyd,  afterwards  Earl  of  Arran,"  and 


THIRD    PERIOD 


182    LITTLE    CUMBRAE    CASTLE,    KTC. 


it  continued  to  be  one  of  the  residences  of  the  house  of  Boyd  till  1670,  when 
William,  third  Earl  of  Kilmarnock,  alienated  this  property  to  Major  Hugh 
Bontin. 

The  island  of  Little  Cumbrae  was  from  an  early  period  under  the 
guardianship  of  the  Hunters  of  Hunters  ton,  but  in  1515  "a  Letter  was 
addressed  by  the  Privy  Council  to  Hew,  Earl  of  Eglintoun,"  making  him 
keeper  of  the  island  "  quhill  the  King's  perfyte  age  of  xv  yere,"  because 


FIG.  120.—  Skelmorlie  Castle.    South- West  Corner  of  Offices. 

Robert  Huntare  "  is  iiocht  of  power  to  resist  ye  personis  yat  waistis  the 
samyn  without  suple  and  help."*  In  these  circumstances  we  may  conclude 
that  the  castle  was  built  by  Lord  Eglinton.  It  was  certainly  one  of  the 
residences  of  the  family,  as  we  learn  from  the  following  quotation  from 
the  burgh  records  of  Glasgow,  of  date  1568,  which  is  further  interesting 
as  giving  an  instance  of  the  early  use  of  glass  for  windows,  and  the  care 
*  Font's  Cunningham  Topographised,  p.  190. 


BARR   CASTLE  183   THIHD    PERIOD 

with  which  it  was  employed.  "  Hew  Erie  of  Eglintoun,  contracted  with 
George  Elphinstoun,  glassin-wricht,  burges  of  Glasgow,  that  the  said 
George  suld  uphald  and  mantene  the  places  of  Ardrossan,  Eglintoun, 
Polnoiie,  Glasgow,  and  Cumray  in  glassin  warke,  as  also  the  place  of  Irvin," 
for  all  which  he  is  to  receive  yearly  "  twa  bollis  meill,  and  ane  stane  cheis," 
"  and  gif  it  happinis  the  said  Erie  to  hald  hous  in  ony  of  thir  foir-saidis  places 
when  it  sal  happin,  the  said  George  to  wirk,  the  said  George  shall  have  his 
meit  the  time  that  he  wirks,  and  als  when  the  said  George  tursis  creillis  of 
glas  and  leid  to  Irvyn,  Ardrossan,  Eglintoun,  and  Cumray,  the  said  Erie 
sal  caus  ane  carrage  hors  to  turs  the  samyn  out  of  Glasgow."  We  further 
learn  from  Principal  Baillie's  Letters  that  when  Cromwell  invaded  Glasgow 
he  (the  Principal)  found  refuge  "  in  the  Isle  of  Cumbrey  with  My  Lady 
Montgomery." 

Skelmorlie  Castle  is  finely  situated  about  two  miles  south  from  Weniyss 
Bay.  It  was  built  about  1502,  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  branches  of 
the  Montgomeries.  In  1852  the  castle  was  leased  by  Mr.  John  Graham, 
merchant  in  Glasgow,  and,  with  the  consent  of  the  Earl  of  Eglinton,  it 
was  restored  and  incorporated  with  a  large  mansion  erected  by  Mr. 
Graham. 

Fig.  119  shows  what  still  remains  of  the  old  keep,  and  Fig.  120  shows 
a  tower  which  formed  part  of  the  courtyard  containing  the  offices,  which 
are  still  preserved. 


BARR  CASTLE,*  LOCHWINNOCH,  RENFREWSHIRE. 

This  castle  is  situated  in  an  extensive  old  park,  about  one  mile  west 
from  the  village  of  Lochwinnoch.  The  building  is  in  tine  preservation,  and, 
although  uninhabited,  is  well  cared  for.  It  is  a  simple  parallelogram  on 
Plan  (Fig.  121),  measuring  about  35  feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west,  by  26 
feet  from  north  to  south.  There  has  been  a  courtyard  on  the  west  side 
containing  buildings,  as  indicated  on  the  Ground  Plan.  The  entrance  to 
the  courtyard  is  by  a  round  arched  doorway  in  the  north  side,  which  is 
defended  with  shot-holes  in  the  wall  adjoining  (Fig.  122).  There  was  also 
a  wing  on  the  south  side  of  the  keep,  which  existed  down  to  this 
century  ;  it  had  a  door  of  communication  with  the  keep,  as  shown  on 
the  Plan  of  the  first  floor.  The  entrance  doorway  to  the  keep  from  the 
courtyard  is  by  a  porch  (see  Fig.  123),  which  is,  however,  of  a  later  con- 
struction. There  was  likewise  a  high  door  over  this,  entering  on  the 
first  floor  level,  but  this  has  long  since  been  built  up.  The  ground  floor 
contains  two  vaulted  apartments  entering  from  a  small  lobby.  One  of 
these  is  the  kitchen,  with  finely  arched  fireplace,  11  feet  wide  by  4  feet  6 

*  The  measured  Plans  (Fig.  121)  are  from  drawings  prepared  by  W.  Galloway, 
Esq. ,  architect,  and  kindly  placed  by  him  at  our  service. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


184    — 


BARR    CASTLE 


inches  deep.  At  the  back  of  the  fireplace  is  the  usual  drain,  and  an  inflow 
for  water  supply.  The  wheel-stair,  which  ascends  to  the  four  upper  floors 
and  battlements,  is  placed  in  the  north-west  corner. 

The  hall  on  the  first  floor  measures  about  24  feet  by  17  feet.     It  is 


BATTLEMENTS 


THIRD      FLOOR 


FIG.  121.— Ban-  Castle.     Plans. 


lighted  with  four  windows,  one  on  each  side,  and  has  a  large  fireplace  in 
the  west  wall.  In  the  north-east  corner  is  a  mural  closet,  which  may 
have  been  a  sleeping  place,  as  it  measures  about  7  feet  by  3  feet  9  inches, 
and  has  two  small  slits  for  ventilation.  There  is  a  sink  in  the  hall,  and 
also  various  cupboards.  The  joisting  of  the  floor  above  has  rested  on  a 


BAKU  CASTLE 


—  185  — 


THIRD  PERIOD 


moulded  projecting  course  of  masonry.  A  narrow  private  stair  in  the 
south-west  corner  leads  to  the  second  and  third  floors,  to  which  the  main 
stair  likewise  gives  access.  These  floors  were  probably  each  divided  into 
two  apartments,  there  being  garde-robes  provided  for  that  number  of 
rooms,  besides  various  mural  chambers. 

The  battlements  (Fig.  122)  extend  all  round  the  building.     The  corner 
turrets  have  been  roofed  in,  and   had   probably  enclosing   doors.      The 


FIG.  122.—  Bari^Castle,  from  North-East. 

corbelling  which  supports  the  parapet  wall  of  the  east  front  is  not 
laid  level.  This  has  arisen  either  from  design  or  carelessness,  and  does 
not  appear  to  be  due  to  any  sinking  of  the  foundations.  There  are 
various  inscriptions  on  the  building;  over  the  porch  (Fig.  123)  are  the 
letters  I.  W.  and  M.  H.  On  the  lintel  at  the  foot  of  the  stair  are  carved 
the  initials  L.  H.  I.  C.,  with  the  date  1680 ;  and  on  the  battlements  there 
appear  the  letters  and  figures  W.  O.  1699. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    186    — 


CARRICK    CASTLE 


Crawfurd,  in  his  History  of  Renfrewshire,  informs  us  that  Barr  was 
"  the  seat  of  an  ancient  family  of  the  surname  of  Glen,"  and  that  about 
the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  was  in  the  possession  of  a  branch  of  the 
Ferguslie  Hamiltons,  with  whom  it  remained  till  about  the  end  of  last 


Fio.  123. — Barr  Castle.    Entrance  Porch. 


century.  Certain  of  the  above  initials  indicate  this  connection,  but  the 
castle  would  appear  to  have  been  erected  early  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
It  quite  corresponds  in  design  and  arrangements  with  Law  Castle  and 
others  of  that  date  in  the  West. 


CARRICK  CASTLE,  LOCH  GOIL,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

This  remarkably  fine  specimen  of  a  fifteenth-century  keep  is  situated 
near  the  lower  end  of  the  west  side  of  Loch  Goil,  on  an  isolated  low- 
lying  rock  jutting  out  into  the  loch,  which  protects  the  castle  on  the  east 
side,  as  the  wall  of  the  courtyard  there  rises  out  of  deep  water.  The  word 


CAKKICK    CASTLE 


—    187    — 


TUIUD    PK1UOD 


"  Carrick,"  we  understand,  means  a  craig  or  rock.  The  castle  (Fig.  124)  is 
a  simple  oblong  on  Plan,  with  the  north-west  corner  cut  off  at  an  angle  of 
45°.  This  angle  is  slightly  hollowed  in  the  lower  part,  and  gets  straight 
about  the  middle  of  the  height  of  the  wall  (Fig.  125).  None  of  the 
floors  have  been  vaulted,  which  is  singular  in  such  an  early  building. 


PLAN     OF.    SECOND      FLOOR 


PLAN      OF     FIRST     FLOOR 

Fio.  124.— Carrick  Castle.    Plans. 

There  is  no  projecting  parapet  at  the  top,  the  battlements  being  flush 
with  the  general  face  of  the  walls.  Numerous  gargoyles  were  provided 
for  throwing  off  the  water  from  the  parapet  walk,  but  all  of  them  are 
more  or  less  broken.  The  keep  bears  a  considerable  resemblance  to 
Threave  in  some  of  its  details,  but  it  is  of  more  refined  workmanship,  and 
is  probably  somewhat  latar  in  date. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  188  — 


CARRICK    CASTLE 


|"'l^M////f;/;.:^  i!/j(|f 


WitfnnWnilnWi'tli 


CARRIOK    CASTLE  -    189    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

Most  of  the  arches  are  pointed  and  moulded,  the  larger  ones  having 
hood  mouldings,  and  the  lintelled  windows  along  the  top  have  all  arched 
ingoings;  but  the  arches  are  not  all  alike — some,  as  shown  on  Fig.  126, 
are  provided  with  broad  splayed  ribs,  while  others  are  moulded  on  edge, 
and  have  plain  polished  arched  soffits.  Some  of  the  smaller  arches  of  the 
windows  and  doors  are  angular  instead  of  curved — i.e.,  formed  by  two 
stones  leaning  against  one  another,  as  shown  in  the  entrance  to  the 
stair  (Fig.  126).  The  entrance  archway  to  the  courtyard  is  three-centred, 
and,  like  all  the  others,  beautifully  and  accurately  wrought ;  indeed, 
throughout  the  castle  the  masonry  round  all  the  openings  is  of  the  finest 
kind,  composed  of  carefully  wrought  fine  freestone.  As  not  unfrequently 
happens,  the  fineness  of  the  stone  has  to  some  extent  proved  the  ruin 
of  the  structure,  many  of  the  wrought  stones  having  been  taken  away  for 
use  elsewhere.  But  for  this  intentional  destruction,  the  building  would 
have  remained  almost  entire.  ,It  sadly  wants  some  little  propping  up  where 
damaged  as  above  indicated.;  while  the  south  gable  above  the  parapet 
may  be  said  to  be  hanging  in  the  wind,  and  cannot  much  longer  remain 
in  its  present  condition. 

The  approach  to  the  castle  is  along  the  south  side,  where  the  courtyard 
gate  is  situated.  The  courtyard  is  small,  and  follows  the  configuration  of 
the  rocky  site.  The  buildings  along  its  north  side  are  entirely  ruinous. 
The  entrance  to  the  ground  floor  of  the  castle  was  near  the  centre  of  the 
east  wall,  but  it  has  been  completely  pulled  to  pieces,  and  the  whole  floor 
is  filled  up  with  ruins.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  communication  from 
this  floor  upwards,  except  by  internal  ladders  or  stairs  now  gone.  The 
principal  entrance  to  the  castle  was,  as  usual,  on  the  first  floor  level, 
and  gave  access  directly  into  the  spacious  hall,  which  measures  56  feet  by 
24  feet. 

Three  of  the  windows  of  the  hall,  as  well  as  the  door,  are  provided 
with  bar-holes  (see  Plan),  an  unusual  circumstance,  and  doubtless  intended 
for  the  reception  of  bars  to  strengthen  the  shutters  which  closed  the 
window  openings.  Two  of  these  windows  have  stone  seats  in  the  recesses. 

From  the  ingoings  of  the  entrance  doorway,  near  the  centre  of  the 
east  wall,  two  stairs  branch  off  on  either  hand.  Both  lead  upwards ;  that 
on  the  right,  looking  outwards,  leads  to  the  second  floor  only.  Fig.  126 
shows  the  entrance  to  this  stair,  with  its  angular  top,  leading  off  the 
ingoing  of  the  door.  The  pointed  door  on  the  floor  above,  at  the 
south  end  of  the  castle,  shows  the  entrance  from  the  stair  landing,  and 
the  smaller  pointed  door  adjoining  is  the  entrance  to  a  garde-robe.  The 
stair  on  the  opposite  or  left-hand  side  of  the  principal  entrance  leads  to  what 
must  have  been  the  north  room  of  the  upper  floor,  and  from  thence  con- 
tinues to  the  battlements.  Both  of  these  stairs  are  contained  in  the  thick- 
ness of  the  east  wall.  The  passage  giving  entrance  to  them  is  placed,  not 
in  the  centre  of  that  wall,  but  a  little  nearer  the  south  end,  so  as  to  give 


THIRD    PERIOD 


190    — 


CARRICK    CASTLK 


Fro.  126.-  Carrick  Castle.    South-East  Corner  of  Interior. 


OARKICK    CASTLE 


—    191    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


increased  length  for  the  longer  stair  leading  to  the  battlements.  There 
are  four  very  perfect  and  entire  garde-robes  in  the  castle — two  on  the 
first  floor  and  two  on  the  second,  nearly  over  each  other.  Their  shoots, 
with  sloping  sills,  discharge  on  the  top  of  the  rock,  and  are  large,  and 
finished  with  pointed  arches  (Figs.  125  and  127).  The  shoot  from 
another  garde-robe  exists  near  the  base  in  the  splayed  north-west  corner, 
but  where  it  comes  from  is  not  apparent. 

On  the  first  floor  there  is  a  large  gap  in  the  inside  of  the  west  wall, 
where  the  masonry  has  been  roughly  torn  out.     This  was  probably  the 


FIG.  127.— Carrick  Castle,  from  Sonth-East. 

fireplace ;  but  a  remarkable  thing  about  it  is  that  its  flue  must  have 
passed  in  front  of  one  of  the  windows  of  the  upper  floor,  which  has  been 
built  up ;  but  from  the  fireplace  upwards,  owing  to  the  rough  treatment 
it  has  received,  a  great  portion  of  the  masonry  has  fallen  away,  which 
makes  it  difficult  to  decide  what  the  original  state  was  at  this  part. 
Possibly  this  fireplace  is  an  insertion  at  a  later  time,  and  the  window 
above  may  have  been  built  up  at  that  time,  and  the  chimney  carried  up 
in  the  wall  above  the  parapet,  which  has  the  appearance  of  being  more 
modern  than  the  wall  below.  Adjoining  the  fireplace  a  drain  leads 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    192    —  KAMES    CASTLE 

through  the  wall.  On  the  outside  of  this  wall,  between  the  fireplace  and  the 
splayed  corner,  there  occur  the  rybats  of  an  opening  (see  Fig.  125),  but 
with  neither  lintel  nor  arch  on  top.  To  this  there  is  nothing  cor- 
responding inside.  The  fireplace  just  referred  to  (if  it  was  one)  is  the 
only  fireplace  in  the  castle ;  but  from  the  arched  soffit  of  the  window,  in 
the  splayed  corner  on  the  second  floor,  a  flue  leads  up  to  the  battlements 
(it  is  shown  in  outline  on  the  Second  Floor  Plan),  where  the  stump  of  a 
chimney  still  remains,  so  that  a  fire  could  evidently  be  kindled  in  this 
window  recess,  and  the  smoke  would  escape  by  the  flue  overhead.  This 
seems  rather  a  primitive  device,  and  is  all  the  more  remarkable  from 
occurring  in  a  castle  of  such  fine  workmanship  and  material  as  this. 

In  the  east  wall  of  the  courtyard  there  is  a  narrow  postern  to  which 
boats  can  come  up  at  any  state  of  the  tide.  It  is  generally  believed, 
and  it  seems  quite  probable,  that  the  water  formerly  surrounded  the 
castle. 

We  have  met  with  little  reliable  information  regarding  the  history 
of  Carrick  Castle.  Almost  nothing  seems  to  be  known  about  it.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  the  residence  of  the  family  of  the  Murrays  of  Dunmore, 
and  is  also  supposed  to  have  been  used  as  a  hunting  lodge  by  the  Scottish 
kings. 


KAMES  CASTLE,*  ISLAND  OF  BUTE,  BUTESHIRE. 

There  are  two  castles  of  this  name  within  half  a  mile  of  each  other ; 
one  of  these,  which  is  not  illustrated,  was  on  the  Z  Plan,  and  is  now  a 
total  ruin. 

The  castle  here  illustrated  is  situated  on  a  level  plain  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  sea.  It  was  evidently  moated,  as  traces  of  a  ditch 
are  still  visible,  and  a  burn  flows  past  on  the  south  and  east  sides. 

The  original  building  (Fig.  128)  seems  to  have  been  a  simple  keep  of 
five  stories  in  height,  with  one  apartment  on  each  floor.  It  measures 
about  36  feet  by  25  feet  6  inches,  with  walls  about  5  feet  4  inches  thick. 
The  round  arched  entrance  doorway  is  situated  on  the  north  side  at  about 
2  feet  above  the  ground.  There  does  not  appear  from  the  Plan  to  have 
been  any  stair  from  the  ground  floor  to  the  upper  floors,  so  that  in  all 
probability  the  first  floor  was  reached  by  a  ladder  which  gave  access  to 
a  door  at  a  high  level.  .  As  within  the  main  tower  there  is  no  stair  from 
the  first  floor  to  the  upper  floors,  it  seems  probable  that  the  north-east 
wing  containing  the  scale  and  platt  stair  may  be  a  part  of  the  original 
design,  or  a  later  enlarged  edition  of  a  small  wing  which  contained  a 
wheel-stair.  From  the  landing  of  this  stair  on  the  attic  floor  it  will  be 
observed  on  the  Plan  that  in  the  thickness  of  the  east  and  north  walls 
*  The  Plans  of  this  castle  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Bryce. 


KAMES    CASTLE 


—  193  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


was  u  narrow  passage  with  steps  leading  out  to  the  battlements  on  the 
west  side.  The  modern  O.  G.  roofed  turret  seen  in  the  Sketch  is  over 
this  passage  at  the  north-east  corner.  During  some  alterations  the  battle- 
ments have  been  continued  along  the  north  side  as  shown  on  View  ; 
previously  they  terminated  as  shown  on  Plan. 


PLAN    or    TOP   FLOOR 


GROUND    FLOOR 


FIG.  128.— Kames  Castle.    Plan  and  View  from  North-West. 

The  Bannatynes  of  Kames  can  be  traced  back  as  far  as  the  time  of 
Alexander  in.  They  appear  to  have  been  chamberlains  to  the  Stewart 
kings  when  Bute  formed  part  of  the  royal  property.  The  existing 
structure  seems  to  date  from  the  sixteenth  century,  but  the  greater 
portion  of  the  upper  part  is  quite  modern. 

N 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    194    — 


HUNTERSTON    CASTLE 


GIFFEN  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

This  ancient  fortalice,  which  is  situated  between  Beith  and  Dunlop, 
occupied  a  strong  position  on  the  edge  of  a  scar,  and  rose  conspicuously 
above  the  undulating  country  around,  from  which  a  most  commanding 
prospect  is  obtained.  It  is  now  unfortunately  reduced  to  a  mere  frag- 
ment. After  being  deserted  for  over  a  century,  during  which  time  a 
great  part  of  the  castle  was  taken  down,  the  remainder  fell  in  1838. 
Some  curious  carved  stones  from  the  castle  are  built  into  the  walls  of 
Giffen  Mill,  about  a  mile  distant.  Sketches  of  these  and  of  the  ruins 
before  they  fell,  with  minute  particulars  of  the  castle  and  its  owners,  will 
be  found  in  Dobie's  edition  of  Cunningham  by  Pont.  "  Sir  William 
Montgomerie,  second  son  of  Sir  John  Montgomerie  of  Ardrossan,  received 
in  patrimony  from  his  father  the  lands  and  barony  of  Giffen,"  evidently 
about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  the  property  continued 
in  the  Montgomerie  family  till  1722. 


HUNTERSTON   CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

A  keep,  with  a  modern  house  attached,  standing  on  a  level  plain  about 
half  a  mile  inland  from  the  Frith  of  Clyde,  and  about  midway  between 


FIG.  120. — Hunterston  Castle.     Plans  and  Section. 


Largs  and  West  Kilbride.     In.  ancient  times  a  morass  stretched  round 
the  castle,  with  a  protecting  moat  and  rampart,  all  of  which  have  now 


IIUNTERSTON    CASTLE 


—  195  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


disappeared,  the  morass  being  changed  into  cultivated  land  and  a  beauti- 
fully-wooded park.  The  original  keep  (Fig.  129)  is  of  small  dimensions, 
measuring  about  24  feet  6  inches  by  21  feet  6  inches,  and  about  34  feet 
high  to  the  top  of  the  parapet.  It  contained  four  stories,  of  which  the 
undermost  is  vaulted,  and  was  probably  the  store.  It  has  no  fireplace, 
but  there  is  the  usual  stone  drain,  and  an  opening  for  a  hoist  in  the  arch 
overhead,  but  no  other  communication  with  the  floor  above.  The  main 
entrance  was  on  the  first  floor,  from  which  a  wheel-stair  in  the  thickness 
of  the  wall  led  to  the  topt  The  parapet  walk  is  protected  by  a  battle- 
ment projected  on  small  corbels  round  three  sides  only  (Fig.  130).  The 


Fio.  130. — Hunterston  Castle,  from  North-East. 

corbelling  ceases  near  the  end  of  the  north  wall  (see  Fig.  130),  and  the 
parapet  is  continued  round  the  east  side  flush  with  the  walls  of  the  keep. 
This  has  probably  been  an  alteration  made  when  the  wing  was  added  to 
the  east.  The  walls  of  the  keep  are  nearly  5  feet  in  thickness,  and  it  has 
generally  the  character  of  a  structure  of  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  keep  was  enlarged,  apparently  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
by  the  addition  of  the  building  shown  by  hatched  lines  on  the  Plan,  thus 
converting  it  into  a  house  of  an  oblong  plan,  with  a  staircase  turret  project- 
ing in  the  middle  of  the  south  side  (Fig.  131).  In  this  turret  is  the  entrance 
doorway,  on  the  ground  floor,  and  the  circular  staircase  which  gives  access 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    196    — 


HUNTERSTON   CASTLE 


both  to  the  old  and  new  parts  of  the  structure.  On  one  of  the  skew 
stones  of  the  staircase  turret  are  the  initials  R.  D.  (see  Sketch,  Fig.  131). 
The  new  building  has  been  divided  by  timber  partitions  into  apartments, 
and  probably  at  the  same  time  the  old  hall  on  the  first  floor  was  screened 
off  from  the  wheel-staircase  and  garde-robe.  This  hall  is  still  used  as  an 
occasional  room  by  Colonel  Gould  Hunter  Weston,  the  proprietor,  and 
is  fitted  up  as  a  library.  The  large  old  stone  fireplace  has  been  filled 
in  with  a  smaller  one,  probably  at  the  time  the  additions  were  made. 
The  caps  of  the  ancient  fireplace  are  still  in  position,  as  shown  on 
the  Section  (Fig.  129).  Above  it  is  an  old  painted  hatchment  con- 


Fio.  131. — Hunterston  Castle,  from  South- West. 

taining  the  Hunter  arms,  with  the  motto  CURSUM  PERPICIO.  The 
building  is  in  good  preservation,  and  was  the  family  residence  till  the 
erection  of  the  present  mansion  house  (which  is  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
bourhood) in  the  early  part  of  this  century.  There  were  ranges  of  offices 
attached  to  the  castle,  on  the  south  side,  which  no  longer  exist,  the  site 
being  now  occupied  by  a  modern  homestead.  The  small  courtyard  on  the 
south  side  seems,  however,  to  be  old.  What  remains  is  very  picturesque, 
and  comes  on  the  visitor  as  a  surprise,  owing  to  its  not  being  visible  from 
any  distance. 

Hunterston  derives  its  name  from  the  office  of  Hunter,  or  Venator 
of  the  King's  lands,  held  by  the  family  from  a  very  early  period. 


SADDELL    CASTLE 


197    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


SADDELL  CASTLE,   ARGYLLSHIRE. 

Saddell  Castle  is  situated  on  the  Kintyre  shore  of  Kilbrannan  Sound. 
It  occupies  a  low-lying  situation  at  the  base  of  a  thickly-wooded  hill  not 
far  from  the  ruins  of  Saddell  Abbey,  and  was,  it  is  believed,  at  one  time 
surrounded  by  the  sea.* 


ENTRANCE 

COURTYARD 


GATEWAY 


BATTLEMENTS 


THIRD     FLOOR 


FIG.  132.— Saddell  Castle.    Plans. 


The  abbey  is  an  utter  wreck,  but  fortunately  the  castle  is  well 
preserved,  and  is  cherished  with  pride  by  its  owner,  Colonel  Macleod. 

It  is  an  oblong  keep  (Fig.  132),  measuring  about  48  feet  10  inches  by 

28  feet,  and  50  feet  9  inches  in  height  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the 

battlements.     The  entrance  door  is  on  the  east  side,  and  adjoining  it  is  a 

wheel-stair,  which  juts  into  the  interior  of  the  tower  and  ascends  to  the 

*  New  Statistical  Account. 


THIKD    PERIOD  -    198    -  SADDELL    CASTLE 

top  of  the  building.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  is  about  4  or  5  feet 
below  the  level  of  the  passage  at  the  entrance  door.  It  contains  two 
cellars,  from  the  smaller  of  which — that  on  the  left  hand — a  private  stair 
leads  up  to  the  first  floor.  This  cellar  also  contains  a  garde-robe  with  shoot. 

The  arrangement  of  the  first  floor,  with  the  kitchen  cut  off  from  the 
end  of  the  hall,  recalls  other  examples  above  described,  also  situated  in  the 
locality  of  the  Frith  of  Clyde — viz.,  Little  Cumbrae,  Law,  Fairlie,  and 
Skelmorlie.  In  these  cases,  however,  the  arrangements  can  only  be  made 
out  from  the  ruins,  while  at  Saddell  they  can  still  be  seen  in  their 
entirety.  The  kitchen  is  7  feet  6  inches  wide,  with  an  arched  fireplace 
extending  to  5  feet  6  inches  more.  It  contains  the  usual  oven  and  various 
ambries.  Beside  the  kitchen,  and  to  the  south  of  the  staircase,  there  has 
been  a  small  apartment,  and  the  hall  probably  occupied  all  the  space 
north  of  the  kitchen  partition,  although  it  is  now  divided  into  two 
apartments. 

The  second  floor  is  divided  into  four  apartments,  three  of  which  have 
original  fireplaces  ;  and  one  of  the  windows  on  this  floor  has  a  stone  seat, 
with  a  garde-robe  entering  from  the  ingoing. 

The  third  floor  is  divided  into  three  apartments  ;  the  centre  room, 
which  is  without  a  fireplace,  has  a  seat  in  the  window  and  a  garde-robe, 
while  the  irregularly-shaped  south  room  has  a  mural  closet  entering  from 
its  window.  Over  the  east  recess  off  this  room  two  arches  are  thrown,  so 
as  to  give  increased  thickness  for  carrying  the  masonry  of  the  battlements 
above. 

The  partitions  dividing  the  various  floors  into  the  rooms  just  described 
are  probably  of  a  later  date  than  the  keep,  as  are  also  most  of  the  fittings. 
The  gable  of  the  capehouse  over  the  staircase  is  seen  in  the  view  (Fig.  133). 
It  was  fitted  with  doors,  and  access  is  obtained  from  it  right  round  the 
battlements,  which  are  laid  with  stone.  At  the  four  corners  of  the  tower 
there  are  round  open  bartizans  supported  on  large  corbels,  having  openings 
in  the  spaces  between  for  defence.  A  similar  turret  occurs  at  one  side  of 
the  capehouse,  and  it  is  likely  that  originally  a  corbelled  defence  of  the 
doorway  was  continued  across  in  front  of  the  capehouse,  but  this  seems  to 
have  been  altered  in  the  seventeenth  century.  The  parapet  round  the 
tower  is  4  feet  8  inches  high,  and  is  carried  on  large  corbels,  but  of  a 
lesser  size  than  those  of  the  turrets,  while  the  spaces  between  are  closed. 

The  Bernardine  Cistercian  abbey,  which  is  almost  all  destroyed,  is 
situated  in  a  beautiful  valley  shut  out  from  the  sea.  It  was  founded  by 
Reginald,  Lord  of  the  Isles  (son  of  Somerlid),  between  1166  and  1207.* 
It  remained  an  independent  foundation  till  about  the  year  1520,  when 
David  Hamilton,  Bishop  of  Argyll,  obtained  its  annexation  to  his  See. 
Previous  to  this,  however,  in  1508,  "  the  abbey  lands  were  made  a  barony, 
and  license  to  build  castles  within  Kintyre,  and  fortify  them  with  stone 
*  Proceedings  of  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland,  Vol.  x.  p.  205. 


SADUKLL    CASTLK 


—    199    — 


T1IIUD    PERIOD 


walls,  ditches,  &c.,  including  what  is  termed  le  Muchcoling,  was  given  to 
Bishop  David,"  who  received  from  James  iv.,  for  the  maintenance  of  its 
keepers,  the  "  fermes,  here,  and  aitis  "  of  "  Kilyownane  and  Lochea."* 


FIG.  133.— Saddell  Castle,  from  South-East. 

From  the  following  accountf  the  castle  had  apparently  become  ruinous 
in  the  seventeenth  century: — 

"  Betwixt  the  years  1640  and  1674,  William  Ralston  of  that  ilk,  who 
married  Ursula  Mure,  daughter  to  William  Mure  of  Glanderston,  was 

*  Proceedings  of  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland,  Vol.  vm.  pp.  125  and  128. 
+  Robertson's  Ayrshire  Families,  Appendix,  Vol.  in.  p.  51. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


200    — 


SORN    CASTLE 


forced  to  seek  shelter  from  the  rage  of  persecution  which  at  that  time 
prevailed  in  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland;  came  to  the  bay  of  Saddell,  about 
eight  miles  from  Campbelton,  and  having  built  the  ramparts  which  still 
remain  on  the  Castle  of  Saddell,  there  resided  for  some  time.  She  lies 
interred  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Colinkeil." 

It  was  probably  at  this  time  that  the  present  internal  fittings  were 
put  in. 


SORN   CASTLE,*  AYRSHIRE. 

An  ancient  fabric,  to  which  a  modern  mansion  has  been  added,  finely 
situated  on  the  crest  of  the  precipitous  bank  of  the  River  Ayr,  about  one  and 
a  half  miles  from  Catrine.  It  is  probable  (as  suggested  by  Mr.  Railton) 


BASEMENT  FLOOR. 


FIG.  134.—  Sorn  Castle.    Plans. 


that  the  south-west  portion  (Fig.  134)  is  an  old  keep,  and  that  the  north- 
east portion  is  a  later  addition,  the  floors  being  on  different  levels.  By 
this  enlargement  a  great  hall,  29  feet  by  17  feet,  was  obtained  on  the  first 

*  The  Plans  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Bryce,  and  the  elevations  by  Mr. 
Railton. 


BAKU  TOWER 


—  201  — 


THIRD  PERIOD 


floor,  and  two  cellars  and  a  kitchen  on  the  ground  floor.  The  thick  wall 
which  contained  the  kitchen  fireplace  and  chimney  still  remains  at  the 
north-east  end.  A  parapet,  with  ornamental  corbelling  and  bartizans 
(Fig.  135),  has  been  carried  round  the  building  at  the  time  when  the 
above  additions  were  made,  probably  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century. 


SOUTH-EAST  ELEVATION 


NORTH-EAST  ELEVATION 


Fio.  135. — Sorn  Castle.    Elevations. 

The  corbelling  closely  resembles  that  of  several  other  Ayrshire  castles  of 
that  period,  such  as  Fairlie.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century 
the  manor  of  Sorn  was  acquired  by  Andrew  Hamilton,  third  son  of  Sir 
David  Hamilton  of  Cadzow,  ancestor  of  the  Dukes  of  Hamilton.  It  after- 
wards passed  by  marriage  and  purchase  to  the  Earl  of  Winton  and  the 
Earl  of  Loudoun,  and  is  now  the  property  of  James  Somervell,  Esq. 


BARR   TOWER,   GALSTON,   AYRSHIRE. 

A  solid  tower,  standing  on  a  rock  slightly  raised  above  the  level  of 
the  road,  in  the  middle  of  the  town  of  Galston,  about  five  miles  south- 
east from  Kilmarnock.  It  is  also  called  Lockhart  Tower,  from  the  name 
of  the  former  proprietor,  Lockhart  of  Barr,  a  family  of  ancient  standing 
in  Ayrshire.  The  keep  (Fig.  136)  measures  about  48  feet  by  35  feet,  and 
the  walls  are  about  7  feet  thick.  The  entrance  doorway  is  on  the  first 
floor  level,  and  the  circular  staircase  to  the  upper  floors  starts  from  the 
ingoing.  The  windows  have  wide  square  recesses,  and  are  furnished  with 
stone  seats.  These,  together  with  the  numerous  wall  recesses  in  the  thick 
walls,  and  other  features,  indicate  that  the  tower  belongs  to  the  Third 


THIRD    PERIOD  202    -  MAUCHLINE    CASTLE 

Period.     Externally  it  has  been  much  modernised,  and  has  entirely  lost 
its  original  character.     It  is  now  used  as  a  wool  store,  and  amidst  the 


Fia.  13(3.-  Barr  Tower. 


huge  piled  up  bales  it  is  with  some  difficulty  that  one  can  see  and  measure 
the  architecture. 


MAUCHLINE  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

The  old  tower  of  Mauchline,  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  small  stream 
which  runs  through  the  town,  strikes  one  at  first  sight  as  being  somewhat 
different  from  an  ordinary  Scottish  keep.  Its  situation  is  not  a  strong 
one,  and  its  ashlar  walls,  its  round-headed  mullioned  windows,  and  care- 
fully constructed  garde-robes  with  their  covered  shoots,  are  features  which 
confirm  that  view.  On  turning  to  its  history  the  peculiarity  of  its 
character  is  accounted  for.  The  lands  of  Mauchline  were  granted  in 
the  twelfth  century  by  Walter,  the  High  Steward  of  Scotland,  to  the 
monks  of  Melrose,  who  established  a  cell  there,  and  greatly  extended 
their  possessions.  In  1521  Hew  Campbell  of  Loudoun,  availing  himself 
of  the  perturbation  then  existing  amongst  the  monastic  institutions  in 
anticipation  of  their  being  broken  up,  made  a  contract  with  the  abbot, 
whereby  he  was  appointed  Bailie  of  Barony,  and  finally  became  possessed 
of  the  whole  as  a  temporal  lordship  in  1606.  The  existing  tower  is  the 
only  relic  of  the  ancient  priory.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate  for  what 
purpose  it  was  originally  used,  but  it  may  well  have  been  the  residence  of 
the  prior.  It  consists  (Fig.  137)  of  two  vaulted  floors,  with  walls  5  feet 
in  thickness,  and  an  attic  floor  in  the  roof.  The  outer  door  is  situated  at 
the  south-west  angle,  and  communicates  with  the  first  floor  by  a  wheel- 
stair  (Fig.  138)  in  the  same  angle  of  the  tower.  The  first  floor  has  been 
a  handsome  hall,  25  feet  by  20  feet,  vaulted  in  two  bays  with  groined 
arches  springing  from  carved  corbels,  but  it  is  now  in  a  sad  state  of 


MAUCHLINE    CASTLE 


203    — 


THIKU    PBBIOO 


neglect  and  decay.  Besides  the  garde-robes,  there  are  several  wall- 
chambers.  The  window  in  the  north  gable  has  been  large,  and  is  still 
furnished  with  stone  seats. 

From  the  style  of  the  architecture  it  is  evident  that  the  building 
belongs  to  the  fifteenth  century.  It  may  possibly  have  undergone  some 
repairs  when  it  was  secularised — as,  for  example,  the  square-headed 


Flo.  137.— Mauclilinc  Castle,  from  North-East. 

windows  may  then  have  been  inserted,  and  much  more  recently  the 
battlements  have  been  restored. 

Although  not,  strictly  speaking,  a  castellated  edifice,  this  example  is 
important  as  showing  the  similarity  in  general  plan  and  arrangement  of 
ecclesiastical  and  civil  dwelling-houses  in  the  fifteenth  century. 

In  the  eighteenth  century  the  property  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Gavin  Hamilton,  an  early  patron  of  Burns,  who  spent  much  of  his 
time  during  a  very  eventful  period  of  his  life  in  this  town  and  in  this 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    204    — 


PENKILL    CASTLE 


house.     Buildings  in  the  style  of  last  century  had  then  been  erected  so 
as  to  form  a  courtyard  southwards  from  the  tower.     Of  these  the  exterior 


|  M  I  I  i  I  I  I  I  | 

FIG.  138.— Mauchline  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

is  seen  in  the  Sketch  (Fig.  137),  and  the  window  on  the  ground  floor  is 
that  of  the  room  in  which  Burns  was  married. 


PENKILL  CASTLE,*  AYRSHIRE. 

This  castle  stands  in  a  commanding  position  on  the  south  side  of  the 
valley  of  the  Girvan  Water,  about  three  miles  from  Girvan.     Before  its 


Fio.  139.— Penkill  Castle,  from  South-East. 

*  For  the  Plans  and  View  of  this  structure  we  are  indebted  to  Alexander  George 
Thomson,  Esq.,  architect,  Glasgow,  by  whom  they  were  made  in  1857,  when  he  was 
employed  by  the  late  Spencer  Boyd,  Esq.  of  Penkill,  to  restore  the  castle. 


PKNKILL    CASTLE 


—    205    — 


THIKD    PKBIOD 


restoration  in  1857  it  was  a  deserted  ruin,  as  shown  by  Sketch  (Fig.  139). 
The  oldest  part  of  the  building  was  fairly  well  preserved,  having  its  roof 
entire.  It  consisted  (Fig.  140)  of  a  square  keep,  measuring  about  26  feet 
6  inches  by  21  feet  6  inches,  and  was  about  34  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the 
walls,  with  a  round  tower  at  the  north-east  corner,  which  contained  the 


Fio.  140.— Penkill  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

entrance  doorway  and  stair  to  the  upper  floors.  The  stair  was,  however, 
in  a  complete  state  of  ruin.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted  and  lighted  by 
narrow  slits  in  each  wall.  The  first  floor  and  all  the  other  floors  contained 
one  apartment,  the  former  with  a  large  fireplace  and  ambry  beside  it.  In 
the  north-west  corner  there  seems  to  have  been  a  garde-robe  afterwards 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    206    — 


CASTLE,    AILSA    CRAIG 


slapped  through,  so  as  to  form  a  communication  to  a  later  addition.  The 
second  floor  had  a  plain  fireplace,  with  an  arched  window  containing  stone 
seats.  The  floor  above  was  lighted  by  a  fine  dormer  window  on  the  east 
front,  shown  in  Fig.  139,  and  from  this  floor  two  round  turrets,  one  on 
the  north-west  and  the  other  on  the  south-east  corner  of  the  keep,  were 
entered.  An  addition  to  the  castle  was  built  in  the  seventeenth  century 
along  the  north  end,  and  consisted  of  a  building  of  unknown  length  from 
east  to  west,  by  about  20  feet  in  width.  The  west  gable  of  this  structure 
and  part  of  the  north  and  south  walls  were  entire  in  1857.  In  the  Castles 
and  Mansions  of  Ayrshire,  by  A.  H.  Millar,  F.S.A.  Scot.,  it  is  stated 
that  Penkill  was  probably  built  about  1500,  although  he  adds  that  the 
late  Mr.  G.  E.  Street,  architect,  considered  that  it  belonged  to  an  earlier 
period  from  the  "  style  of  ornamentation  of  one  of  the  existing  dormer 
windows."  We  do  not  know  on  what  authority  this  statement  rests,  but 
the  whole  style  of  the  building  would  lead  us  to  conclude  that  Penkill 
was  of  a  much  later  date.  Mr.  Millar  further  mentions  that  in  1628  the 
addition  to  the  castle  was  made  by  Thomas  Boyd,  after  his  marriage  with 
Marion  Mure  of  Rowallan,  the  new  building  being  connected  to  the  old 
by  the  circular  stair  tower,  and  that  the  arms  and  initials  of  Thomas  Boyd 
and  his  wife  were  placed  over  the  door  of  this  tower.  Penkill  was 
acquired  by  the  Boyds  early  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the  first  of  them 
dying  in  1530. 

The  dotted  line  on  the  Ground  Plan  shows  the  addition  designed  by 
Mr.  Thomson,  architect. 


CASTLE,  AILSA  CRAIG,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  small  keep,  perched  on  one  of  the  few  shoulders  which  project  from 
the  precipitous  slope  of  the  solitary  "  Craig." 

GROUND     FLOOR    PLAN  FIRST  FLOOR  PLAN 


FIG.  141.— Castle,  Ailsa  Craig.    Plans. 


The  island  rises  abruptly  from  the  sea,  about  10  miles  west  from  the 
Ayrshire  coast,  opposite  Girvan. 


CASTLE,    AILSA    CRAIG 


—    207    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


On  the  seaward  side  the  rocks  tower  above  the  water  in  magnificent 
precipices,  but  on  the  landward  side  there  is  a  small  beach,  composed  of 
masses  of  stones  fallen  from  the  Craig,  above  which  the  flank  of  the  island 
mountain  slopes  very  rapidly  to  the  summit,  which  is  about  1100  feet  in 
height.  On  a  ledge  about  300  feet  above  the  shore  stands  the  keep  (Fig. 
141),  the  only  approach  to  which  is  by  a  very  steep  and  narrow  footpath. 
In  the^  vicinity  of  the  tower,  but  higher  up  the  mountain,  there  is  a  good 


FIG.  142.- Castle,  Ailsa  Craig.    View  from  South-East. 

spring  of  water.  The  history  of  this  remote  and  inaccessible  tower  is 
quite  unknown.  The  structure  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  Tower 
of  Kildonan  in  the  south  of  Arran,  and  may  perhaps  have  been  erected 
by  a  branch  of  the  clan  to  which  it  belonged.  In  any  case  it  must  have 
been  the  fortress  of  a  pirate  chief,  who  issued  from  it  to  plunder  the 
surrounding  seas  and  coasts,  for  the  island  would  never  yield  the 
sustenance  necessary  for  the  captain  and  his  crew. 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    208    -  CASTLE,    AILSA    CRAIG 

The  keep  stands  on  the  south-east  side  of  the  Craig,  and  the  entrance 
door  has  been  on  the  east  or  seaward  side,  where  the  access  was  most 
difficult.  From  marks  and  projections  on  the  wall,  there  seems  to  have 
been  an  outer  stair  leading  up  to  the  doorway  (Fig.  142).  Outside  of  the 
door,  the  landing  at  the  top  of  this  stair  would  doubtless  be  moveable,  as 
in  other  similar  examples,  such  as  Castle  Stalcaire. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  slope  of  the  site,  a  vaulted  basement  is  formed 
under  the  eastern  portion  of  the  ground  floor.  This  was  entered  by  a 
trap  in  the  landing  at  the  entrance  door,  and  had  one  very  small  loop  for 
ventilation.  It  may  either  have  been  used  as  a  storeroom  or  as  a  prison. 
Opposite  the  entrance  door,  another  door  gives  access  to  the  vaulted  room 
on  the  ground  floor,  14  feet  by  11  feet,  which  is  lighted  with  three  small 
loops.  The  door  in  the  north  wall  of  the  landing  is  modern,  and  may 
occupy  the  position  of  a  loop  for  lighting  the  landing.  A  straight  stair- 
case leads  from  the  same  landing  to  the  first  floor,  and  is  continued 
upwards  as  a  wheel-stair. 

The  first  floor  contains  an  apartment  11  feet  3  inches  wide  by  8  feet 
long,  lighted  with  two  windows  in  the  south  wall,  and  a  small  loop  in  the 
north  wall.  It  is  provided  with  an  arched  fireplace  which  extends  the  full 
width  of  the  room,  and  has  an  oven  in  the  north-west  angle.  There  is 
also  an  ambry  in  the  north  wall.  On  this  floor  another  small  vaulted 
room,  about  6  feet  square,  occupies  the  space  over  the  entrance  landing. 
It  is  lighted  with  an  oblong  window  about  2  feet  high,  placed  at  7  feet 
above  the  floor. 

An  opening  in  the  wall  between  these  two  apartments  seems  to  have 
been  used  as  a  service  window.  The  larger  room  may  have  been  the 
kitchen,  and  the  small  one  the  larder  and  storeroom.  Above  this  there 
appears  to  have  been  a  second  floor.  It  is  now  almost  entirely  destroyed, 
but  there  are  recesses  at  the  angles,  which  render  it  probable  that  they 
were  finished  with  turrets. 

This  quaint  and  strongly-built  and  vaulted  little  tower  has  few  features 
by  which  its  age  may  be  fixed.  The  thinness  of  the  walls  (2  feet 
6  inches)  and  the  arrangement  of  the  stair  and  apartments  seem,  however, 
to  connect  it  with  the  style  and  date  of  many  of  the  Border  keeps  of  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

A  courtyard  about  30  feet  long  by  the  width  of  the  keep  appears  to 
have  existed  on  the  north  side,  the  east  wall  being  continued  northwards 
about  4  feet  in  height,  so  as  to  level  up  the  ground,  while  there  are 
indications  at  the  north-east  and  north-west  angles  of  the  junction  of 
courtyard  walls  to  those  of  the  keep. 


CARLETON    CASTLE  —    209    —  THIRD    PERIOD 


CARLETON   CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

The  ancient  tower  of  the  Cathcarts  of  Carleton,  a  well-known  Ayr- 
shire family  (also  the  proprietors  of  Killochan  Castle).  It  stands  on  rising 
ground  near  the  sea-coast,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lendale  Water,  about  seven 
miles  south  from  Girvan.  The  estate  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the  same 
family  since  the  time  of  Robert  Bruce,  and  the  present  proprietor,  Sir 
Reginald  Cathcart,  "  has  in  his  possession  a  charter  by  that  monarch  in 
1324,  and  another  from  Robert  n.  in  1386."*  The  tower  is  undoubtedly 
of  considerable  age.  It  is  of  the  usual  quadrilateral  form  (Fig.  143),  and 
has  had  a  vault  over  the  ground  floor  and  another  over  the  hall  floor,  part 
of  which  still  remains  (Fig.  144);  otherwise  the  structure  is  much  ruined, 


Fio.  143.— Carleton  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


the  south-east  angle  having  entirely  fallen  out  and  the  parapet  being  gone, 
so  that  the  architectural  interest  of  the  building  is  comparatively  slight. 

The  walls  are  6  feet  in  thickness.  The  entrance  door  was  probably  at 
the  south-east  angle  and  at  the  level  of  the  hall  floor,  into  which  it  would 
give  direct  access.  On  one  side  of  the  entrance  passage  a  narrow  stair 
(which  still  survives)  led  down  to  the  cellar,  and  on  the  other  a  wheel- 
stair  in  the  south-east  angle  (now  demolished)  led  to  the  upper  floors  and 
roof.  There  were  separate  stories  in  the  vaults  over  the  basement  and 
hall,  so  that  the  tower  was  at  least  five  floors  in  height.  Some  traces 
still  exist  of  a  wall  enclosing  a  courtyard  on  the  tongue  of  land  between 
two  burns,  on  which  the  tower  stands,  with  vestiges  of  towers  at  the 
angles. 

*  Paterson'a  History  of  Ayr  and  Wigton,  Vol.  n.  p.  135. 


I 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    210   — 


LOCIINAW   CASTLE 


FIG.  144.— Carleton  Castle,  from  South-East. 


LOCHNAW  CASTLE,  WIGTONSHIRE. 

This  castle  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Leswalt,  on  a  small  fresh- 
water loch  about  five  miles  west  from  Stranraer.  The  locality  is  one  of 
considerable  beauty,  and  the  utmost  has  been  done  to  develop  the 
natural  features  of  the  scene,  so  that  the  surroundings  of  the  castle  are  of 
a  very  charming  description. 

The  old  keep  is  completely  cast  into  the  shade  by  a  large  modern  house 
which  has  been  erected  beside  it,  the  towers  of  which  are  seen  in  the 
View  (Fig.  145). 

The  old  building  (Fig.  146)  consists  of  a  square  sixteenth-century  keep  at 
the  south-east  corner  of  a  courtyard,  which  is  surrounded  with  ranges  of 
seventeenth  and  eighteenth-century  buildings.  The  keep  is  a  small  struc- 


LOCHNAW   CASTLE 


—  211  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


Fia.  145.— Lochnaw  Castle,  from  East 


Fio.  146.-Lochnaw  Castle.    Plan. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    212    — 


LOCHNAW    CASTLE 


ture,  about  23  feet  square,  containing  one  apartment  on  each  floor,  with  a 
continuous  wheel-stair  in  the  north-west  corner,  finished  at  the  top  with  a 
picturesque  capehouse  (Fig.  147).  Adjoining  this  a  portion  of  the  parapet  is 
projected,  so  as  to  form  an  aperture  or  machicolation  for  defending  the 
door  by  dropping  down  stones  or  other  missiles.  On  the  east  parapet  a 


Fro.  147.—  Lochnaw  Castle,  from  North-East. 


projection  is  corbelled  out  to  form   a   passage   round   the  chimney,   at 
each  side  of  which  there  are  small  shot  or  spy-holes. 

The  buildings  on  the  south  and  west  sides  of  the  courtyard  were 
erected  by  Sir  Andrew  Agnew  and  his  wife,  Dame  Anna  Stewart, 
daughter  of  the  first  Earl  of  Galloway.  Their  initials,  with  the  Stewart 


RUSCO    CASTLE  -    213    —  THIRD    PERIOD 

arms  and  date  (1663),  may  be  seen  on  the  dormers  (Fig.  147).  They  are 
also  carved  in  another  place,  with  the  inscription,  "  Except  the  Lord 
Builde  the  House  they  Labour  in  vaine  that  Builde." 

The  range  on  the  north  side  is  dated  1704. 

The  family  of  Agnew,  as  is  well  known,  have  been  possessed  of 
Lochnaw  from  almost  the  beginning  of  written  Scottish  history.  Whether 
the  following  inscription,  which  exists  at  the  house,  refers  to  the  existing 
keep  may,  however,  be  doubted  — 

DOM.  ANDR 
EAS.  AGNEV 

1426 

NOMEN.  DOMI 
NI.  FORTISSI 
MA.  TURRIS. 

In  The  Hereditary  Sheriffs  of  Galloivay  an  earlier  castle  is  spoken  of 
as  being  situated  on  an  island  in  the  loch.  This,  along  with  the  lands, 
was  forcibly  taken  possession  of  and  blown  up  by  Archibald  the  Grim  in 
1390.  In  1426  the  Douglases  resigned  the  Bailiery  of  Leswalt  back  to 
Andrew  Agnew,  and  he  is  said  to  have  then  built  this  tower.  It  bears 
some  resemblance  to  Law  and  Barr  Castles  in  Ayrshire,  and  may  be  classed 
with  them  in  the  Third  Period.  When  the  first  Statistical  Account  was 
written,  there  were  vestiges  of  the  fosse  to  be  seen  on  the  south  side, 
and  it  is  further  stated  that  at  that  time  the  loch  was  drained. 


RUSCO   CASTLE,    KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 

A  tower  situated  in  the  valley  of  the  Fleet,  about  three  miles  north 
from  Gatehouse.  It  stands  on  a  sloping  hillside,  and  is  completely  over- 
looked from  the  public  road,  which  passes  it  about  100  yards  to  the  west- 
ward. The  Plan  is  a  simple  oblong  (Fig.  148),  measuring  37  feet  9  inches 
from  north  to  south,  by  about  28  feet  8  inches  from  east  to  west,  and  the 
tower  is  49  feet  6  inches  high  to  the  top  of  the  parapet.  The  entrance  is 
on  the  ground  level  in  the  centre  of  the  east  front ;  and  to  the  right  on 
entering,  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  is  a  small  guardroom.  A  passage  to 
the  left  leads  to  a  wheel-stair  in  the  south-east  corner,  which  ascends  to 
the  top,  and  is  defended  at  the  foot  with  a  strong  door.  The  ground  floor 
is  vaulted,  and  contained  a  room  in  the  vault,  the  entrance  to  which  is 
seen  in  the  Section  (Fig.  148),  about  8  feet  9  inches  above  the  ground. 
This  was  probably  the  sleeping-place  for  herds  and  servants,  while  the 
ground  floor  might  accommodate  horses  or  cattle.  In  the  south-west 
corner  of  the  ground  floor  there  is  a  circular  recess,  the  purpose  of  which 
is  not  now  apparent ;  but  it  may  have  been  intended  to  contain  a  private 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    214    — 


RUSCO    CASTLE 


stair  from  the  hall  to  the  cellar.  The  first  and  second  floors  are  good 
apartments,  well  lighted,  with  handsome  fireplaces  of  the  usuaK  Scottish 
type,  similar  to  that  of  Ruthven  Castle.*  The  apartment  in  the  roof, 
shown  on  Plan,  is  without  a  fireplace.  It  enters  off  the  stair,  which 
continues  for  a  few  steps  up  to  the  battlements.  The  parapet  walk  is 
paved  with  stone  slabs  in  the  usual  manner.  The  corbels  supporting  the 


SECTION 
FIG.  148. — Rusco  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

parapet  wall  are  of  the  chequered  type  common  in  the  fifteenth  century 
(see  enlarged  Sketch,  Pig.  149).  It  will  be  observed  (Fig.  150)  that  the 
large  windows  have  each  over  their  lintels  a  splayed  projecting  weathering 
for  throwing  off  the  rain — a  rather  unusual  expedient  in  Scottish  castles. 

The  entrance  doorway  (Fig.   151)  is  peculiar,  being  spanned  with  a 
joggled  arch,  nearly  straight,  but  having  a  slight  curve,  with  rounded 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  397. 


HUSCO    CASTLE 


—  215  — 


THIRD    PEKIOD 


corners.     Above  it  is  ;i  moulded  panel  containing  two  shields,  but  their 

bearings  are  worn  away  and  illegible.     The  supporters  of  the  upper  one — 

two  unicorns — are,   however,   quite  distinct,  and 

probably  were  attached  to  the  royal  arms.    Above 

one  of  the  shields  is  the  initial  N,  and  above  the 

other   there   is,    acccording   to   Lands  and  tJieir 

Owners,  a  hunting-horn,  "pertaining  to  the  arms 

of  the  Blairs  of  Dunskey."     On  one  side  of  the 

lower  shield  can  be  faintly  seen  the  figures  65 

— probably   for   the   date    1565.      Although   the      FIO.  i49.-Rusco  Castle. 

*  .  Corbels  at  Parapet. 

author  of  Lands  and  their  Owners  considers  the 

house  to  have  been  built  by  the  Ackersons,  who  possessed  the  estate 

previous  to  the  sixteenth  century,  that  does  not  seem,  to  judge  from  its 


FIO.  150.—  Rusco  Castle,  from  South-East. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—   216   — 


RUSCO    CASTLE 


style,  to  be  at  all  likely.  Besides,  he  also  says  that  in  the  lower  shield 
"  are  the  arms  of  the  Gordons,  with  the  usual  boar's  head,  <fec.,"  and  we 
shall  presently  see  that  they  were  the  probable  builders.  He  further 
mentions  (as  already  pointed  out)  that  the  upper  shield  contained  the  "lion 
rampant,  with  two  unicorns  as  supporters,  which  latter  belongs  to  royalty." 
An  extensive  addition  to  the  structure,  shown  by  hatched  lines  on 
the  Plan,  was  made  at  a  later  period  to  the  north,  with  a  communication 
roughly  knocked  through  on  the  ground  floor.  It  measured  57  feet  4 
inches  in  length  by  21  feet  9  inches  in  breadth.  This  wing  is  now  quite 


PIG.  151.— Ruseo  Castle.    Entrance  Doorway. 

ruinous,  and  is  used  as  cattle  sheds.  It  has  a  projecting  staircase  turret 
on  the  west  side.  The  old  tower  is  still  inhabited  by  farm  labourers. 

From  Lands  and  their  Owners  we  learn  that  this  estate  belonged  to  a 
family  named  variously  Carson,  Kersane,  or  A'ccarson,  styled  of  Glen  or 
Glenskyreburn,  the  ancient  name  of  Rusco  previous  to  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  estate  passed  to  Sir  Robert  Gordon  by  his  marriage  with 
the  daughter  of  Sir  Robert  Corsane.  He  assumed  the  title  of  Glen,  and 
afterwards  of  Lochinvar  on  his  brother's  death  at  Flodden.  Sir  Robert 
died  in  1520.  "In  1574,  it  is  mentioned  that  Sir  John  Gordon  of  Loch- 
invar  then  resided  at  Rusco." 

The  castle  was  probably  erected  by  the  Gordons  in  the  first  half  of  the 
sixteenth  century. 


HOLLOWS   TOWER  —    217    —  THIRD    PERIOD 


HOLLOWS  TOWER,   DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

This  typical  Border  keep  was  the  residence  of  the  famous  Johnnie 
Armstrong,  whose  fate  at  the  hands  of  James  v.  is  the  subject  of  many 
Border  songs  and  laments.  It  is  picturesquely  situated  in  the  valley  of 
the  Esk,  between  Canonbie  and  Langholm.  The  north  end  of  the  tower 
stands  on  the  edge  of  a  steep  bank  which  slopes  down  to  the  haughs  by 
the  river.  The  bank  slopes  more  gradually  along  the  west  end,  where  the 
entrance  to  the  tower  is  situated.  The  building  (Fig.  152)  measures  33 
feet  5|  inches  from  north  to  south,  by  25  feet  4  inches  from  east  to  west, 
and  from  the  ground  to  the  lowest  level  of  the  parapet  walk  it  measures  40 
feet,  and  about  16  feet  additional  to  the  highest  part  of  the  ruined  beacon. 
It  contains  a  vaulted  ground  floor,  10  feet  5  inches  high,  with  shot-holes 
to  north,  south,  and  west.  There  was  probably  a  courtyard  on  the  east 
side,  which  may  account  for  the  absence  of  shot-holes  there.  Above  the 
basement  are  three  stories  and  an  attic.  The  entrance  door  leads  directly 
into  the  staircase,  which  is  constructed  in  the  south-west  corner,  and 
partly  projects  into  the  rooms  inside.  The  mouldings  round  the  door 
consist  of  three  flat  beads  separated  by  fillets.  The  entrance  evidently 
was  secured  by  an  outer  door  of  wood  and  an  iron  yett ;  these  are  shown 
at  A  and  B,  Fig.  153.  Each  floor  contains  only  one  apartment,  measuring 
25  feet  10  inches  by  16  feet  5  inches.  The  first  floor  has  two  windows, 
about  2  feet  wide  by  4  feet  high,  with  stone  seats,  and  a  small  window 
about  14  inches  wide,  high  up  from  the  floor,  in  the  south  end.  In  the 
opposite  end  is  the  fireplace,  the  projecting  jambs  of  which  have  a  bead- 
moulding  round  them.  The  joists  of  the  upper  floors  were  supported  on 
projecting  corbels,  placed  unusally  close  together,  being  only  about  2  feet 
apart.  The  apartments  on  these  floors  are  all  very  similar ;  that  on  the 
second  floor  only  having  a  fireplace.  There  are  thus  only  two  fireplaces 
in  the  tower.  The  corbelling  along  the  top  is  continuous,  and  consists  of 
five  projections,  the  three  upper  courses  of  which  are  treated  as  a  series 
of  alternately  projecting  and  receding  portions  of  a  band  (as  shown  in 
Fig.  153).  Above  these  is  a  cable  moulding  which  was  wrought  to  go 
round  the  gargoyles  which  projected  at  this  level.* 

The  chief  peculiarity  of  Hollows  is  its  beacon  lantern,  perched  like  a 
church  belfry  on  the  apex  of  its  south  gable.  Built  beacons  like  these 
were  undoubtedly  frequent  adjuncts  of  Border  keeps ;  and  although  most 
of  them  have  now  disappeared,  a  few,  such  as  Elchieshields  and  the  Tower 
of  Repentance,  still  exist.  Thus,  John  Leslie,  Bishop  of  Ross,  in  his 
History  of  Scotland,  written  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century, 

*  For  the  Sketch  (Fig.  153)  we  are  indebted  to  R.  B.  Armstrong,  Esq.,  from 
whose  History  of  Liddesdale  the  following  historical  particulars  regarding  Hollows 
are  chiefly  derived— pp.  77  and  227. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    218    — 


HOLLOWS    TOWER 


GROUND     PLOOKj,  ,|,|m)  [ 


FIRST      FLOOR 


FIG.  152.  -  Hollows  Tower.    Plans  and  View  from  South-West. 


HOLLOWS    TOWER 


—    219    — 


THIRD    PKH1OD 


says :  "  Thie  Mersemen  in  our  age,  against  the  suddan  entring  of  the 
ennimie,  to  lat  sie  quhan  danger  is,  thay  kendle  bleises  in  tour  heidis, 
or  heicher  places."*  The  system  of  giving  warning  by  beacon  tires  was 
thoroughly  understood  on  the  Borders,  and  was  the  subject  of  regulation 
by  Parliament. 

In  1570  the  Earl  of  Sussex  issued  an  order  to  the  English  Wardens 
on  the  Borders  as  follows  : — "  Everie  man  that  hath  a  castle  or  a  tower  of 


FIG.  153.— Hollows  Tower.    Plan  of  Entrance  Doorway  and  View  of  South  Gable. 

stone  shall  upon  everie  fray  raysed  in  thie  night,  give  warning  to  the 
countrie  by  fire  in  the  topps  of  the  castle  or  towre  in  such  sort  as  he  shall 
be  directed  from  his  warning  castle,"  &c. 

The  Armstrongs  first  appeared  in  this  district  early  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  when  the  redoubtable  Johnnie  Armstrong,  or  "Gilnockie,"  as  he 
is  frequently  called,  settled  on  the  church  lands  of  Canonbie,  and  erected 
this  tower  at  a  place  called  the  Hollows.  The  clan  built  qthers  in  the 
district,  all  evidently  contrary  to  an  Act  of  1528,  which  says  :  "  Gyif  ony 
*  Scottish  Text  Society,  p.  10,  Part  i. 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    220    -  COCKBUUNSPATH    TOWER 

man  intendis  to  big  ony  biggings  upon  the  bordouris  of  this  realme,  neir 
unti  Ingland,  or  ony  strenth  or  fortalice,  the  king  and  his  counsal  willis 
to  desist  and  ceis  thairfra ;  and  gif  ony  thing  be  biggit,  to  destroy  the 
samin,  untill  his  grace  and  counsal  be  adveset  thairwith,"  &c. 

About  this  time  Lord  Dacre,  from  the  English  side,  having  resolved 
to  root  out  the  Armstrongs,  who  were  giving  constant  trouble  on  all  sides, 
brought  a  force  against  Hollows  and  burned  it.  The  Armstrongs  obtaining 
intelligence  of  Dacre's  intention  and  movements,  marched  into  England 
and  burned  his  place  of  Netherby  on  the  same  day  as  Hollows  was 
destroyed.  Again,  in  1527-28,  the  English  Warden  marched  into  the 
Armstrongs'  country  with  a  force  of  about  2000  men,  when  their  principal 
exploit  was  an  attack  on  the  Hollows,  which  they  once  more  burned. 

During  another  forage  into  the  debateable  land,  Dacre  attacked  a 
"  strong  peel  belonging  to  111  Will  Armistrounges,  which  was  built  in 
such  a  manner  that  it  couth  not  be  brynt  ne  destroyed  until  it  was  cut 
down  with  axe,s." 

As  is  well  known,  Johnnie  Armstrong  was  hanged  by  James  v.  in 
1530,  during  his  expedition  through  the  Borders  to  suppress  the  lawless- 
ness of  this  district. 


BEMERSYDE,    BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  mansion,  two  and  a  half  miles  north-west  from  St.  Boswells,  the 
seat  for  centuries  of  the  family  of  Haig  of  Bemersyde.  It  consists  of  a 
central  peel  of  1535,  to  which  considerable  additions  have  been  made. 


BILLIE   CASTLE,    BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  complete  ruin,  about  two  miles  north  of  Chirnside.  It  stood  on  a 
grassy  knoll,  surrounded  by  a  marsh,  and  belonged  first  to  the  Dunbars,  who 
were  succeeded  by  the  Earl  of  Angus.  Earl  Archibald  stayed  here  while 
Tantallon  was  besieged  by  James  v.  in  1528.  In  1540  it  was  annexed 
to  the  Crown,  and  subsequently  bestowed  on  the  Rentons,  descendants 
of  the  ancient  foresters  of  Coldingham.  The  castle  was  destroyed  by 
Hertford  in  1544,  and  is  now  only  recognisable  by  a  few  grass  mounds. 


COCKBURNSPATH   TOWER,    BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  ruin,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  railway  station,  on  the 
bank  of  a  small  stream.  It  consists  (Fig.  154)  of  the  ruins  of  a  keep  and 
some  outbuildings  in  the  courtyard,  with  an  arched  gateway  in  the  south 
side.  The  keep  has  been  35  feet  long  by  29  feet  wide.  The  north  and 


OOCKBURNSPATII    TOWER 


—    221    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


west  walls  are  in  fair  preservation,  but  the  remainder  is  much  ruined. 
Towards  the  base  the  north  wall  is  stepped  out  and  strengthened  in  a 
peculiar  manner.  The  offices  are  one  story  high  and  vaulted,  with  loops 
in  the  outer  wall.  The  north-east  apartment  contains  a  good  seventeenth- 
century  doorway  (see  Fig.  155).  This  tower  was  held  in  early  times  by 


GROUND    PLAN 


4 


Fio.  154.— Cockburnspath  Tower.    Plan  and  Elevation. 

the  Earls  of  March,  on  condition  that  they  purged  the  Merse  and  Lothian 
of  thieves  and  robbers.  It  afterwards  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Earls  of 
Dunbar,  and  on  their  forfeiture  in  1435,  it  reverted  to  the  Crown.  The 
keep  and  property  were  assigned  as  the  jointure  of  Margaret,  queen  of 
James  iv.  They  are  now  the  property  of  the  Earl  of  Home. 


Fro.  155.— Cockburnspath  Tower.     Doorway  in  Offices. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    222    — 


FAST    CASTLE 


FAST   CASTLE,    BERWICKSHIRE. 

The  crumbling  fragments  of  a  great  keep,  built  above  an  inaccessible 
cliff  on  a  promontory  of  the  east  coast,  about  seven  miles  east  of 
Cockburnspath.  The  adjoining  cliffs  of  the  mainland  are  of  great  height, 


PIG.  156.  —Fast  Castle.    Plan. 


and  tower  high  above  the  platform  on  which  the  castle  stands.  The 
platform  (Fig.  156)  is  260  feet  long  by  88  feet  broad  at  the  widest  part, 
and  is  surrounded  with  precipitous  rocks  (Fig.  157),  which  descend  sheer 
down  into  the  ocean.  The  approach  to  this  platform  was  by  a  drawbridge 


Fio.  157.— Fast  Castle,  from  South-East. 


FAST   CASTLK 


—  223   — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


over  a  chasm  20  feet  in  width.  The  remains  of  a  round  tower  which 
guarded  the  entrance  gateway  are  still  observable  on  the  castle  side. 
Within  this  stood  a  keep  30  feet  in  width,  but  the  length  of  which  cannot 
be  ascertained  from  the  existing  ruins.  The  north-east  wall  still  remains 
as  high  as  the  corbelling,  and  two  corbels  are  still  observable  in  situ,  but 
all  the  rest  of  the  structure  is  completely  destroyed.  It  has  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  blown  up,  as  a  large  mass  of  masonry,  with  eight 
corbels  embedded  in  it  (Fig.  158),  has  been  thrown  to  the  ground  and  com- 
pletely turned  upside  down  ;  but  we  understand  that  this  was  the  result 
of  thunderstorms  in  1871,  when  the  battlements  were  struck  by  lightning, 
and  the  whole  of  the  upper  part  of  the  structure  was  ruined.  The  fate 
which  Sir  Walter  Scott  pictured  as  happening  to  Wolf's  Craig  (of  which 
Fast  Castle  was  the  prototype)  has  thus  now  been  realised.  An  ambry  in 


Fio.  158.— Fast  Castle,  from  North. 

the  wall  of  the  first  floor  (see  Fig.  157)  contains  a  rudely-cut  old  Gothic  arch- 
head.  Portions  of  a  surrounding  wall  are  observable  here  and  there.  A 
piece  about  12  feet  long,  with  staircase  for  access  to  the  parapet,  stands 
detached  at  the  north  end  of  the  platform. 

Judging  from  the  style  of  the  corbelling,  the  building  probably  belongs 
to  the  Third  Period.  In  1333  Fast  Castle  was  a  Government  fortress,  and, 
like  many  Border  strengths,  it  often  changed  hands.  The  place  was  held 
by  the  English  in  1410,  when  it  was  surprised  and  taken  by  Patrick,  son 
of  the  Earl  of  Dunbar,  with  100  men.  In  1467  it  was  the  property 
of  the  Homes,  by  whom  the  castle  was  rebuilt  in  1521.  It  again  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  English,  but  was  recovered  by  a  bold  stratagem  in 
1548.  In  1570  it  was  invested  by  Sir  William  Drury,  on  his  way  to 
besiege  the  castle  of  Edinburgh,  "leaving  in  it  a  garrison  of  ten,  or, 
according  to  some,  fourteen  men — a  force  which  was  considered  adequate 
for  holding  it  out  against  all  Scotland."  It  belonged  at  that  time  to  the 
Homes,  but  passed  by  marriage,  in  1580,  to  Logan  of  Restalrig  ;  and  a 
strange  tale  is  told  of  an  agreement  between  him  and  Napier  of  Mer- 


THIRD  PERIOD  -  224  LENNOX  CASTLE 

chiston  in  1594,  regarding  a  search  by  the  latter,  through  some  mysterious 
power,  for  treasure  supposed  to  be  hid  within  the  walls. 

Access  to  the  castle  was  obtained  by  means  of  boats  from  the  sea.  A 
cavern  penetrates  the  rock  beneath  the  keep,  and  it  is  supposed  that  there 
existed  a  staircase  which  communicated  between  the  castle  and  the  cave. 
Had  the  Gowrie  conspiracy  prospered,  this  would  probably  have  been  the 
passage  by  which  the  king,  James  vi.,  would  have  passed  to  his  prison  in 
Logan's  castle  above. 


LENNOX   CASTLE,    MIDLOTHIAN. 

A  ruin,  situated  about  one  mile  west  from  the  village  of  Currie. 
Judging  from  its  remains,  it  has  been  an  important  structure  and  of  great 
strength.  It  occupies  the  summit  of  a  lofty  ridge  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Water  of  Leith.  It  is  isolated  on  all  sides,  and  is  surrounded  on  the 
south  and  west  by  extensive  earthworks.  The  north  wall,  standing  on 
the  edge  of  the  steep  bank,  and  the  east  wall  having  a  small  ravine 
beyond  it,  were  sufficiently  protected  by  nature.  The  remains  of  old  walls 


Fia.  159. —Lennox  Castle.    Plan. 

may  be  traced  close  to  the  castle,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  was  enclosed 
towards  the  south.  The  main  structure  (Fig.  159)  is  an  oblong  keep, 
measuring  57  feet  from  east  to  west  by  33  feet  2  inches,  with  walls  about 
7  feet  6  inches  thick.  The  south  wall  is  very  ruinous,  but  the  other 
three  walls  remain  to  a  height  of  12  or  15  feet.  The  entrance  doorway, 
which  is  round-headed,  is  near  the  east  end  of  the  north  wall.  It  has  an 
aperture  for  a  sliding  bar  behind  the  door.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted, 
and  was  divided  into  three  spaces,  which  were  probably  lighted  from 
loops  in  the  demolished  south  wall.  The  wheel-staircase  was  in  the 
north-east  corner,  adjoining  the  entrance  doorway.  The  great  hall  on  the 
first  floor  was  likewise  vaulted  with  a  waggon  vault,  running  from  end  to 


BLACKNESS    CASTLE 


—  225  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


end,  and  had  no  intermediate  floor.     The  remains  of  the  fireplace  exist  at 
the  west  end. 

The  history  of  the  castle  is  obscure.  It  appears  to  have  been  a 
frequent  residence  of  the  Stewart  kings,  and  it  is  said  (Ordnance  Gazetteer 
of  Scotland)  to  have  passed  from  James  vi.  into  the  possession  of  George 
Heriot ;  but  there  is  no  mention  of  this  in  his  Life. 


BLACKNESS  CASTLE,  LINLITHGOWSHIRE. 

A  very  ancient  strength,  and  at  one  time  one  of  the  most  important 
fortresses  in  Scotland.  The  name  of  Blackness  occurs  frequently  in  the 
history  of  the  disturbances  of  the  fifteenth  century.  In  the  seventeenth 
century  the  castle  was  made  into  a  prison  for  distinguished  Covenanters. 
It  is  now  converted  into  an  ammunition  depot.  For  this  purpose  its 
structure  has  been  changed,  and,  owing  to  the  precaution  now  necessary 
for  safety,  it  is  with  difficulty  that  its  ancient  portions  can  be  examined 
and  defined. 


FIG.  160.— Blackness  Castle,  from  East. 

The  castle  stands  on  a  rocky  promontory  which  projects  into  the 
Frith  of  Forth,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Bo'ness  and  a  like 
distance  from  Linlithgow,  of  which  town,  in  its  palmy  days,  Blackness 
was  the  seaport.  The  building  seems  to  have  comprised  a  strong  oblong 
tower  or  keep  (Fig.  160),  with  a  circular  staircase  tower  at  the  north-east 
angle.  This  staircase  tower  has  probably  been  added  at  a  date  subse- 
quent to  the  erection  of  the  keep.  The  keep  is  still  preserved,  although 
much  altered,  and  stands  detached  within  a  considerable  space  of  ground, 
surrounded  with  a  strong  wall.  A  large  part  of  the  latter  still  remains 
(see  Fig.  160),  having  a  thick  parapet,  with  large  port-holes  or  embrasures 
for  cannons  cut  through  it,  similar  to  those  of  Queen  Anne's  time  at 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    226    — 


BLACKNESS    CASTLE 


Stirling.  Fig.  161  (from  a  drawing  by  Mr.  Hutton  in  1782,  preserved  in 
the  library  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy)  shows  the  keep,  with  its 
parapet  entire.  The  other  buildings  are  a  congeries  of  old  and  new 
structures,  of  which  little  can  be  made  without  more  careful  examination 


FIG.  161.— Blackness  Castle.    The  Keep. 

than  is  now  permissible.  But,  however  interesting  to  the  archaeologist, 
this  would  appear  from  an  architectural  point  of  view  to  be  unnecessary,  as 
there  is  little  chance  of  any  details  or  other  architectural  features  of 
interest  being  discovered.  Fig.  162  (from  a  sketch  made  by  D.  Allan  in 


FIG.  162.— Blackness  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

1794,  also  preserved  in  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy)  shows  the  landward 
or  south  front,  the  interior  of  which  is  seen  as  it  now  stands  in  Figs.  160 
and  161.  The  exterior  has  been  deprived  of  its  parapet,  and  the  walls 
are  heightened  and  covered  with  a  plain  roof, 


CRAIOLOCKITART   CASTLE 


—    227    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


CRAIGLOCKHART  CASTLE,*  MIDLOTHIAN. 

A  fragment  situated  at  the  base  of  Craiglockhart  Hill,  about  two 
miles  west  from  Edinburgh.  It  has  been  a  keep  (Fig.  163)  28  feet  by  24 
feet,  with  walls  5  feet  in  thickness.  The  entrance  doorway  and  wheel- 
staircase  are,  as  usual,  at  one  corner.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted  (see 
Section),  and  the  arch,  being  about  15  feet  in  height,  has  provided  space 
for  an  upper  loft — the  corbels  to  carry  the  floor  of  which,  and  the  windows 


PISCINA    AT  A. 


Fio.  163.— Craiglockhart  Castle.    Plans,  Section,  and  Elevation. 

to  light  it,  still  remain.     The  hall  floor  has  also  been  vaulted,  and  has 
had  an  intermediate  wooden  floor,  forming  a  chamber  in  the  vault. 

The  upper  part  of  the  structure  is  now  demolished,  and  few  features 
remain  to  enable  its  date  to  be  fixed.  It  seems,  however,  to  belong  to 
the  Third  Period,  and  tradition  connects  its  history  with  the  Lockharts 
of  Lee. 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  James  A.  L.  Kennedy  for  the  illustrations  of  this 
castle. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  228  — 


KINNEIL 


KINNEIL,    LlNLITHGOWSHIRE. 

This  ancient  possession  of  the  Hamiltons  stands  on  the  brink  of  a 
ravine,  which  cuts  through  the  high  and  precipitous  bank  of  the  Frith  of 
Forth,  about  a  mile  west  from  Borrowstounness.  The  property  was 
bestowed  on  the  above  family  by  King  Robert  the  Bruce,  and  still  con- 
tinues in  the  hands  of  the  Duke  of  Hamilton. 

The  existing  structure  (Fig.  164)  consists  of  two  parts,  viz.,  an  oblong 
keep,  to  which  wings  have  been  added,  and  a  block  of  building  to  the 
north-east,  which  may  at  one  time  have  formed  a  separate  house. 


FIRST      FLOOR     PLAN 


FIG.  164.— Kinneil.    Plan. 

The  keep  is  an  oblong  block,  56  feet  6  inches  long  by  31  feet  6  inches 
wide,  with  walls  fully  6  feet  in  thickness.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted, 
and  the  western  wall  (which  is  unaltered)  still  shows  at  that  level  three 
shot-holes,  of  the  large  horizontal  kind,  2  feet  6  inches  in  width.  The 
first  floor  is  occupied  as  a  great  hall,  41  feet  6  inches  long  by  20  feet 
broad ;  but  in  other  respects  this  structure  has  been  completely  trans- 
formed through  the  subsequent  additions  and  alterations  to  which  it  has 
been  subjected.  The  position  of  the  original  entrance  doorway  and  stair- 
case cannot  therefore  now  be  traced,  and  few  features  remain  to  indicate  the 
date  of  the  keep.  It  is  probably,  however,  a  building  of  the  Third  Period. 

The  house,  lying  to  the  north-east  of  the  keep,  has  in  all  probability 


K1NNE1L 


—    229    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


I 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    230 


KINNEIL 


been  originally  constructed  as  a  detached  building  of  the  L  Plan,  with  the 
staircase  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The  rooms  which  fill  up  the  angle 
of  the  L  have  the  appearance  of  an  awkward  addition,  especially  opposite 
the  staircase,  and  do  not  fit  in  as  if  they  formed  part  of  the  original 
design.  This  mansion  was  very  likely  erected  at  the  time  when  the 
keeps  were  often  abandoned  and  more  comfortable  dwellings  erected, 
either  round  a  courtyard  or  otherwise. 

This  castle  (i.e.,  the  keep)  was  greatly  repaired  by  the  Regent  Arran, 
and  was  soon  afterwards  plundered  and  burned  by  the  opponents  of  Queen 
Mary  in  1568-70.  Most  likely  when  quieter  times  came  it  was  considered 
more  suitable  to  erect  the  detached  mansion  than  to  restore  the  keep,  and 
the  adjoining  house  was  accordingly  then  built.  The  elevation  shows  that 
the  latter  has  a  good  deal  of  the  character  of  a  Scottish  seventeenth- 
century  mansion.  Later  in  the  same  century,  during  the  reign  of 
Charles  n.,  the  Duchess  Anne  and  Duke  William  resolved  to  combine 
the  whole  buildings,  including  both  the  keep  and  the  detached  mansion, 
into  one  imposing  edifice.  They  therefore  added  the  two  wings  at  the  north 
and  south  ends  of  the  keep — the  former  serving  to  unite  the  keep  with 
the  detached  mansion  by  means  of  a  skewed  doorway,  and  the  latter  con- 
taining a  great  square  staircase,  with  the  heavy  stone  balustrade  of  the 
period.  This  staircase  only  led  to  the  first  floor,  the  upper  floors  being 
reached  by  the  two  circular  staircases  adjoining  the  wings.  The  keep  was 
at  the  same  time  crowned  with  a  classic  cornice  and  balustrade  (Fig.  165), 
and  the  windows  were  enlarged  and  arranged  in  regular  rows,  to  match 
those  in  the  symmetrical  wings.  A  central  doorway,  with  classic  mould- 
ings, completed  the  transformation.  It  should,  however,  be  observed  that 
the  original  solid  parapet  remains  on  the  back  or  western  side  of  the 
keep.  The  house  now  became  a  great  but  rambling  edifice — the  hall  of 
the  ancient  keep  serving  as  the  dining-room,  while  the  hall  of  the  detached 
mansion  became  the  modern  drawing- 
room.  The  north-east  room  on  the  first 
floor  of  the  latter  house  is  vaulted,  and 
was  probably  used  as  a  fire-proof  private 
room. 

The  arms  of  the  above-named  authors 
of  the  transformation  just  described  are 
contained  in  a  fine  panel  (Fig.  166)  on  the 
east  front.  We  have  here  in  the  right 
shield  the  Hamilton  arms  and  motto,  and 
in  the  left  what  appear  to  be  the  Hamil- 
ton and  Douglas  arms,  quartered,  pro- 
bably, for  the  Duchess  Anne  and  her 
husband,  Lord  William  Douglas,  who  was  made  Lord  Selkirk  and 
subsequently  Duke  of  Hamilton  for  life. 


FIG.  166.— Kinneil.    Arms. 


MAINS    CASTLE 


—  231  — 


THIRD    PKHIOD 


The  situation  of  the  house  is  tine,  and  it  is  approached  by  an  avenue  of 
splendid  trees.  Besides  the  interest  attaching  to  it  as  the  ancient  seat  of 
the  Hamilton  family,  it  is  noteworthy  in  modern  history  as  the  place 
where  Dugald  Stewart  wrote  many  of  his  works,  and  where  James  Watt 
brought  some  of  his  improvements  on  the  steam-engine  to  perfection. 

It  is  said  that  the  building  was  once  richly  decorated  internally,  but 
the  upper  floors  of  the  keep  seem  never  to  have  been  finished — the 
standard  partitions  remaining  unplastered  till  the  present  day. 


MAINS  CASTLE,   LANARKSHIRE. 

This  castle  is  situated  in  an  upland  district,  about  one  mile  north  from 
East  Kilbride.  It  stands  on  a  grassy  knoll  overlooking  a  narrow  vale, 
with  higher  hillocks  behind  it.  The  structure,  which  is  practically  entire, 


DRAIN 


GROUND        FLOOR 
Fio.  167. — Mains  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 


and  has  lately  been  judiciously  repaired,  is  an  oblong  on  Plan  (Fig.  167), 
measuring  37  feet  7  inches  from  east  to  west,  by  26  feet  10  inches  from 
north  to  south.  It  is  41  feet  3  inches  high  to  the  parapet  walk  at  the 
battlements,  and  about  12  feet  more  to  the  ridge.  The  entrance  (Fig. 


I 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    232    — 


MAINS    CASTLE 


168)  is  in  the  south  side  by  a  round-headed  doorway  near  the  south-west 
corner,  where  also,  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  a  wheel-stair  leads  to  the 
top  and  to  the  intermediate  floors.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and 
contained  a  loft  in  the  vault  (see  Section,  Fig.  167),  the  lower  division 


FIG.  168.— Mains  Castle,  from  South-West. 


being  lighted  by  two  slits.  The  entresol  or  loft  in  the  vault  is  reached  by 
a  passage  in  the  west  wall  leading  off"  the  stair  (see  entresol,  Fig.  167); 
and  in  the  same  wall  beyond  the  passage  there  is  a  chamber  with  a  hatch 
in  the  floor,  giving  access  to  an  arched  dungeon  or  cellar,  which  is  quite 
dark,  and  from  which  there  seems  to  have  been  a  small  opening  into  the 


CATHCART   CASTLE 


—    233    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


ground  floor,  about  12  inches  square,  now  built  up.  The  hall  (Fig.  167) 
occupies  the  first  floor,  and  is  24  feet  11  inches  long  by  16  feet  2  inches 
wide.  It  is  lighted  by  two  windows,  which  have  stone  seats.  The  fire- 
place is  quite  plain,  and  is  in  the  east  wall.  There  is  a  garde-robe  in  the 
north  wall,  and  a  chamber  in  the  west  wall  over  the  one  below.  In  the 
passage  leading  from  the  hall  door  to  the  stair  there  is  a  stone  sink,  which 
seems  to  indicate  that  the  hall  also  served  as  the  kitchen.  The  floor  above 
enters  directly  off  the  stair,  and  was  divided  into  two  rooms,  each  with  a 
fireplace,  and  contained  a  mural  chamber  and  garde-robe  over  those  below. 
The  stair  terminates  at  the  battlement  walk  with  a  square  turret,  which 
is  covered  with  a  flat  stone  roof  (Fig.  168),  and  was  probably  finished 
originally  with  a  crenellated  parapet.  The  parapet  of  the  battlements  is 
gone ;  it  was  projected  over  a  row  of  corbels,  the  lower  member  of  which 
is  continuous. 

The  lands  of  Kilbride  became  the  property,  in  1382,' of  the  ancient 
family  of  Lindsay  of  Dunrod,  in  Renfrewshire.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Ure,  in  his 
History  of  East  Kilbride,  says  that  the  Lindsays  lived  at  Mains,  "in 
great  wealth  and  splendour,"  till  about  the  end  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  when  they  had  to  sell  the  estate.  The  tower,  however,  re- 
mained habitable  till  about  the  year  1723,  when  the  roof  was  taken 
off  to  provide  slates  for  some  office  houses.  Mr.  Ure  mentions  that  the 
castle  was  an  "extensive  habitation,"  and  that  when  he  wrote  (in  1793) 
it  was  wholly  in  ruins  except  this  tower.  He  also  refers  to  the  deep  fosse 
which  surrounded  the  castle  as  being  visible,  and  mentions  that  there 
was  a  drawbridge  on  the  east,  guarded  by  an  arched  gate  with  the  royal 
arms  over  it.  In  connection  with  these  he  states  that  "  the  tails  of  the 
unicorns  are  made  to  bend  downwards  between  the  hind  legs,  similar  to 
the  direction  given  them  in  the  title-page  of  Bassandyne's  folio  Bible," 
Edinburgh,  1576.  This  stone  was  removed  to  Torrance  House,  and  set  up 
there  about  1743. 

Mention  is  made  of  an  older  castle,  the  ruins  of  which  existed  70  yards 
north  of  the  present  tower.  It  also  had  a  fosse,  much  larger  and  more  perfect 
than  the  other ;  but  all  this  has  disappeared,  as  well  as  an  artificial  lake, 
which  covered  twenty  acres  of  the  hollow,  on  the  south  side  of  the  tower. 


CATHCART  CASTLE,*  RENFREWSHIRE. 

This  castle  occupies  a  strong  position  about  three  miles  south  from 
Glasgow,  on  the  steep  and  lofty  banks  of  the  River  Cart,  which  defends 
the  castle  on  two  sides. 

*  For  the  measured  and  restored  drawings  of  this  castle  we  are  indebted  to 
Mr.  Railton,  while  the  perspective  view  is  from  a  sketch  in  the  possession  of  the 
Royal  Scottish  Academy. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


234   — 


CATHCART   CASTLE 


The  keep  (.Fig.  169)  is  a  simple  oblong  structure,  measuring  about 
51  feet  by  30  feet  9  inches,  and  is  surrounded,  at  a  distance  of  about 
10  feet,  with  curtain  walls,  strengthened  with  round  corner  towers 
similar  to  those  of  Threave  Castle. 


SECTION    LOOKING    SOUTH 


EAST    ELEVATION 


SECTION    LOOKING    FAST 


FIG.  169. — Cathcart  Castle..    Plans,  Sections,  and  Elevation. 

The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  above  it  there  still  remain  the  ruined 
walls  of  three  floors  (see  Sections  looking  south  and  west),  while  the 
restored  drawing  (Section  looking  east),  which  is  doubtless  tolerably 
correct,  shows  that  there  was  an  additional  floor. 

The  entrance  through  the  curtain  has  been  at  the  east  end,  and  opposite 
it  is  the  door  to  the  keep.  A  passage  in  the  east  wall  leads  to  the  wheel- 
stair,  which  ascends  to  the  top,  and  serves  the  various  floors.  Adjoining 


CATHCART   CASTLE 


235    — 


TIIIKD    PKKIOD 


the  door  at  the  south  end  of  the  passage  there  is  a  small  place  about  6  feet 
by  5  feet,  which  may  have  been  used  for  a  guardroom  or  a  dungeon, 
with  access  from  above.  The  main  chamber  on  the  ground  floor  is 
lighted  with  three  narrow  slits. 

The  hall  on  the  first  floor  measures  about  32  feet  6  inches  by  17  feet, 
and  was  well  lighted  with  windows.  One  of  the  windows  has  stone  seats, 
and  two  of  the  others  have  lockers  in  the  ingoing.  A  wide  dilapidated 
fireplace  occupies  the  centre  of  the  south  wall.  Two  small  mural  closets 
and  one  large  one  in  the  south-east  angle  complete  the  accommodation 
of  this  floor.  The  Plans  of  the  second  and  third  floors  and  the  elevation 
show  the  castle  as  if  restored,  and  its  ruined  walls  rebuilt.  The  second 
floor  is  divided  into  two  apartments,  and  the  large  south-east  mural  closet 


FIG.  170.— Cathcart  Castle,  from  South-East. 

is  repeated  on  this  floor.  The  view  (Fig.  170)  shows  the  condition  of  the 
building  about  a  century  ago,  and  it  is  not  very  different  now. 

The  estate  of  Cathcart  belonged  to  a  family  of  the  same  name  from 
the  twelfth  century.  They  became  barons  in  1447,  and  the  barony  was 
acquired  by  the  family  of  Sempill  in  1546.  The  representative  of  the 
old  family  having  purchased  back  part  of  the  estate,  was  created  Earl 
of  Cathcart  in  1814.  From  its  style  it  may  be  assumed  that  the  castle 
was  erected  by  the  Barons  Cathcart  in  the  fifteenth  century.  It  remained 
inhabited  till  about  1740,  when  the  proprietor  removed  to  a  new  house, 
and,  as  appears  from  the  Statistical  Account,  he  sold  the  materials  of  the 
castle  to  a  contractor,  who  unroofed  it,  intending  to  demolish  the  whole 
structure,  and  only  desisted  when  he  found  that  it  would  not  be  re- 
munerative to  do  so. 

The  battle  of  Langside,  Queen  Mary's  last  effort  in  arms,  was  fought 
not  far  from  this  castle. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    236    — 


BARDOWIE    CASTLE 


BARDOWIE  CASTLE,*  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

The  situation  of  this  castle  by  the  edge  of  a  small  loch,  and  surrounded 
by  tine  old  trees,  is  very  beautiful.  It  stands  about  six  miles  north  from 
Glasgow,  and  within  a  short  walk  of  Summerston  Railway  Station.  The 
old  tower  is  still  inhabited,  in  conjunction  with  a  modern  mansion  which 


FIG.  171.— Bardowie  Castle,  from  South-East. 

has  been  attached  to  it,  as  shown  on  Fig.  171.  The  structure  is  of  an 
oblong  form  (Fig.  172),  measuring  about  33  feet  by  about  27  feet  6  inches, 
and  is  entered  by  a  door  in  the  centre  of  the  south  front.  A  straight 
stair  leads  from  the  vaulted  ground  floor  to  the  first  floor,  and  continues 

*  We  are  indebted  for  the  historical  part  of  the  account  of  Bardowie  to  J.  Gnthrie 
Smith,  Esq.,  of  Mugdock. 


BARDOWIE    CASTLE 


—  237  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


in  the  space  shown  on  the  Plan  by  dotted  lines  in  the  north  wall  to  the 
floor  above,  which  is  about  the  level  of  the  stringcourse  shown  in  the 
view.  From  the  landing  at  this  level  a  wheel-stair  leads  to  the  covered 
battlements  on  the  north  side,  and  to  the  remarkable  hall  in  the  roof 
(Fig.  173).  Crossing  the  second  floor  (see  Plan),  a  few  steps  lead  up  in 
the  thickness  of  the  wall  to  the  south  battlements.  Fig.  173  shows  how 
the  battlements  are  covered  in  by  the  wide  sloping  roof  of  the  tower, 
the  three  openings  shown  on  the  Plan  corresponding  to  the  embrasures 
usually  found  in  the  parapet.  Possibly  the  top  of  the  tower  has  been 
altered  (as  at  Comlongan,  where  the  battlements  are  also  covered),  the 
gable  having  been  raised  and  the  new  roof  constructed  so  as  to  cover  in 
the  older  parapet  and  parapet  walk,  and  form  a  fine  hall  or  gallery. 

This  hall  in  the  roof,  which  has  no  fireplace  and  is  lighted  by  end 
windows,  is  amongst  the  few  buildings  in  Scotland  which  possess  an  open 
timber  roof.  As  we  had  occasion  to  remark  in  reference  to  Edinburgh 
Castle,  Darnaway  Castle,  and  the  hall  of  the  Knights  in  Linlithgow,  open 


FIG.  172.-  Bardowie  Castle.    Plan  of  Second  Floor. 

timber  roofs  are  of  extremely  rare  occurrence  in  Scotland.  This  one  has  a 
directness  of  purpose  in  its  design  and  a  simplicity  in  its  parts  hardly 
possessed  by  the  others.  Such  roofs  are  usually  constructed  with  principals 
placed  some  few  feet  apart,  with  common  rafters  placed  between;  but 
here  all  the  rafters  and  ties,  which  are  about  12  inches  apart,  are  con- 
structed like  curved  principals,  thus  imparting  to  the  hall  a  tine  solid 
effect,  not  unlike  that  of  ribbed  vaulting.  This  interesting  old  place  was 
originally  in  the  possession  of  the  once  great  Stirlingshire  family  of 
Galbraith,  whose  principal  seats  in  this  neighbourhood  were  Craigmaddie 
Castle  in  Baldernock,  and  Gartconnel  Castle  in  Kilpatrick.  Of  the  former 
but  a  fragment  now  remains,  and  the  foundations  of  the  latter  are  barely 
traceable.  The  Galbraiths  of  Baldernock  were  the  chiefs  of  the  race,  and 
they  ended  apparently  in  Janet  Keith,  who,  through  her  mother,  was  their 
heiress.  Janet  was  the  wife  of  David  Hamilton  of  Cadzow,  ancestor  of  the 
Pukes  of  Hamilton.  The  family  of  Bardowie  are  a  younger  branch  of 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    238    — 


BARDOWIE   CASTLE 


Cadzow,  and  they  were  endowed  with  the  Baldernock  lands,  including 
Bardowie,  and  doubtless  were  originally  seated  at  Craigmaddie  Castle. 
There  they  remained  till  probably  early  in  the  sixteenth  century,  when 
they  removed  to  Bardowie,  and  Craigmaddie  fell  into  ruins. 


FIG.  173.— Bardowie  Castle.    Hall  on  Top  Story. 

The  tower  was  probably  erected  at  that  time,  but  the  roof  and  hall 
are  doubtless  later.  The  early  history  of  the  Hamiltons  of  Bardowie  is 
the  common  one  in  Scotland.  They  took  their  share  in  the  various  wars 
of  their  country,  and  when  not  thus  employed  spent  much  of  their  time 
in  feuds  with  their  neighbours.  In  1526  they  had  a  quarrel  with  the 
Logans  of  Balvie  .in  Kilpatrick,  which  ended  in  John  Hamilton  being 


COVINGTON  TOWER  -  239  -  THIRD  PERIOD 

killed  by  them  at  Blairskaith,  not  far  from  his  own  house  of  Bardowie. 
His  son  and  successor,  Allan  Hamilton,  met  a  similar  fate,  being  slain 
by  his  nearest  neighbour,  Colin  Campbell  of  Auchenbowie  and  Dowan, 
and  in  1591  a  succeeding  laird  of  Bardowie  had  a  serious  quarrel  with 
Walter  Graham  of  Dougalston,  another  neighbour.  The  house  of  Bardowie 
has  thus  probably  witnessed  many  a  stormy  scene,  and  no  doubt  the 
strength  of  its  walls  has  been  often  tested.  Robert  Hamilton,  sixteenth  of 
Bardowie,  was  the  last  of  the  family  in  the  direct  male  line,  and  on  his 
death  without  issue  he  was  succeeded  in  the  estate  by  his  sister  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Thomas  Buchanan  of  Spittal  and  Leny.  Her  grandson,  John 
Hamilton  Buchanan  of  Spittal  and  Leny,  is  now  the  proprietor  of 
Bardowie. 


COVINGTON  TOWER,  LANARKSHIRE. 

This  is  unfortunately  a  much  ruined  example  of  what  has  undoubtedly 
been  a  fine  tower  of  the  fifteenth  century.  It  occupies  a  patch  of  dry 
ground  in  the  midst  of  what  was  formerly  a  flat  marsh  of  considerable 
extent,  in  the  valley  of  the  Clyde,  between  Carstairs  and  Thankerton. 


FIG.  174.— Covington  Tower.    Plan  of  Basement. 

The  tower  possesses  some  very  marked  features  of  the  Third  Period. 
Thus  the  walls  are  11  feet  in  thickness,  with  narrow  loops  and  deep  bays 
in  the  wall ;  the  ground  floor  was  vaulted,  and  had  a  loft  in  the  vault, 
with  a  door  entering  from  the  main  staircase,  and  lighted  by  a  window  at 
each  end  (Fig.  174).  The  hall  was  on  the  first  floor;  the  window  recesses 
in  it  are  large  and  carefully  built,  and  arched  with  dressed  ashlar,  and  are 
provided  with  stone  seats.  The  fireplace  of  the  hall  was  at  the  east  end, 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    240    — 


COVINGTON   TOWER 


LOCH    ORE    CASTLE  -    241    THIRD    PERIOD 

with  wall-chambers  in  the  thick  wall  at  each  side  of  it,  above  which  small 
windows  are  introduced,  high  up  near  the  ceiling,  which  gave  light  to  the 
hall  through  long  narrow  ingoings.  The  entrance  door  'to  the  tower  is  on 
the  ground  level,  and  near  the  centre  of  the  north  wall.  From  the  ingoing 
a  few  steps  led  in  the  thickness  of  the  north  wall  to  the  wheel-stair  in  the 
north-west  angle,  which  ascended  to  the  top.  An  ambry  is  formed  in  the 
wall  in  the  eastern  side  of  the  ingoing.  A  stone  sink  with  a  drain 
through  the  wall  and  a  square  recess  adjoining  it  occur  in  the  west  wall 
of  the  ground  floor.  These  were  probably  in  connection  with  a  well  in 
the' basement,  now  closed  up. 

The  exterior  (Fig.  175)  has  been  deprived  of  its  parapet  and  other 
distinctive  features,  but  is  a  good  specimen  of  the  massive  and  inde- 
structible nature  of  the  work  of  the  fifteenth  century. 

The  lands  of  Covington  were  bestowed  by  Bruce  on  the  Keiths, 
Hereditary  Marshals  of  Scotland.  From  them  they  passed,  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  to  the  Lindsays,  in  whose  possession  they  remained  till 
sold,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  to  Sir  George  Lockhart,  President  of  the 
Court  of  Session.* 

The  dovecot  seen  in  the  Sketch  is  a  fair  example  of  those  privileged 
structures  of  the  olden  time.  Other  relics  of  a  late  period  may  also  be 
observed  around  the  castle,  in  the  remnants  of  what  have  evidently  been 
gardens,  enclosed,  together  with  the  tower,  by  a  deep  ditch  which  still 
remains,  and  which  served  the  double  purpose  of  defence  and  drainage. 


LOCH   ORE   CASTLE,   FIFESHIRE. 

This  somewhat  remarkable  structure  is  situated  about  one  mile  north 
from  Lochgelly  Railway  Station,  in  the  parish  of  Ballingry.  The  castle 
stood  on  an  island  about  100  paces  distant  from  the  south-east  edge  of 
Loch  Ore,  which  formerly  extended  about  one  and  a  half  miles  in  length 
by  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  but  is  now  drained.  The  island  rose 
above  the  water  to  a  height  of  about  10  feet,  and  extended  outside  the 
walls  an  average  distance  of  8  paces. 

The  castle  consists  of  a  central  keep  (Fig.  176),  surrounded  by  an 
enclosing  wall.  The  latter  is  of  a  rudely  oval  form  on  Plan,  and  measures 
from  east  to  west,  along  the  greatest  diameter,  about  124  feet,  and  104 
from  north  to  south.  The  castle  was  apparently  approached  from  the 
east,  along  a  causeway  which  is  reported  to  have  been  in  existence  some 
years  ago.  The  main  entrance  through  the  enclosing  wall  was  in  the 
west  side,  or  on  the  opposite  side  from  the  approach.  The  bar-hole  in 
one  side  of  the  gateway  is  still  visible,  and  in  the  view  of  the  castle  in 
Grose's  Antiquities,  the  gateway  is  shown,  round  arched  and  entire,  in 
*  Irving's  Upper  Ward  of  Lanarkshire, 
9 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  242 


LOCH    ORE   CASTLE 


LOCH    ORE   CASTLE  -   243   -  THIRD    PERIOD 

this  position.  Parties  approaching  the  castle  would  thus  have  to  traverse 
the  circuit  of  the  island  before  gaining  admittance,  and  from  the  nature 
of  the  ground  outside  the  walls,  the  access  would  be  naturally  by  the  north 
side,  which  is  commanded  by  a  projecting  round  tower  at  the  north-east 
corner  of  the  enclosing  wall.  This  is  the  only  tower  attached  to  the  wall. 
It  has  three  loopholes,  2  inches  wide  and  2  feet  2  inches  high,  of  the  form 
shown  on  Fig.  176.  There  was  a  postern  adjoining  the  round  tower,  and 
commanded  by  it.  This  postern  is  shown  in  Cardonnel's  Antiquities  of 
Scotland  as  having  a  round  arch  with  a  defence  on  the  top  of  the  wall 
projected  on  corbels. 

The  keep,  which  is  almost  square  on  Plan,  occupies  the  centre  of  the 
enclosure.  It  measures  about  34  feet  by  35  feet  6  inches.  None  of  the 
floors  were  vaulted.  The  ground  floor  is  entirely  buried  beneath  the 
ruins  and  cannot  be  seen.  The  first  floor  is  the  one  shown  on  the  Plan 
(Fig.  176).  The  entrance  to  the  ground  floor  is  on  the  west  side  adjoining 
the  north  wall.  There  is  also  a  doorway  to  the  first  floor  on  the  same  side 
at  the  south  end,  leading  directly  into  the  keep  (see  Plan),  and  passing, 
strangely  enough,  through  the  arched  fireplace,  which  occupies  the  whole 
west  end  of  the  keep.  This  entrance  has  a  bar-hole.  There  are  no  traces 
of  a  stair  between  the  first  floor  and  ground  floor,  nor  from  the  first  floor 
to  the  floor  above,  so  that  these  were  probably  of  timber;  but  from 
the  second  floor  to  the  battlements  a  stair  runs  up  in  the  thickness  of 
the  south  wall.  It  entered  on  the  second  floor  (see  Plan)  through  a 
pointed  doorway ;  adjoining  this  is  an  opening  into  the  flue  of  the  fire- 
place beneath,  which  does  not  appear  to  have  been  screened  off  with  a 
stone  partition,  although  there  may  have  been  one  of  timber ;  but  taken  in 
connection  with  the  fact  that  there  is  only  one  fireplace  in  the  keep,  this 
flue  may  have  been  left  open  on  this  side  so  as  to  give  the  second  floor  the 
benefit  of  whatever  heat  could  be  got  in  that  way.  Or  there  may  have  been 
a  door  at  this  point  into  the  vent,  which  was  possibly  used  as  a  place  for 
curing  hams,  &c.,  as  in  some  other  instances,  such  as  Elphinstone.  There 
was  a  third  floor  partly  in  the  roof. 

To  the  north  and  west  of  the  keep  buildings  existed,  extending  between 
the  keep  and  the  wall  of  enceinte,  but  nothing  remains  of  them  above 
3  or  4  feet  in  height.  That  on  the  north  side  is  shown  by  Cardonnel  as 
terminating  with  a  crow-stepped  gable  to  the  north.  On  the  west  front 
of  the  keep  the  raglet  for  the  roof  of  a  building  is  cut  on  the  face  of  the  wall. 

On  the  east  face  of  the  keep,  fronting  the  approach  to  the  island, 
there  has  been  some  kind  of  projecting  structure  at  the  second  floor  level. 
A  part  of  its  projecting  edge  (see  Second  Floor  Plan)  still  exists,  and  seems 
to  have  been,  in  part  at  least,  a  garde-robe. 

Complete  ruin  and  desolation  have  overtaken  Loch  Ore  Castle  in  the 
course  of  the  nineteenth  century  (Fig.  177).  In  the  views  by  Cardonnel  and 
Grose  it  is  shown  in  a  much  more  perfect  condition.  The  walls  of  enceinte 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    244   — 


LOCH    ORE   CASTLE 


are  represented  as  entire,  and  they  remained  so  within  the  memory  of 
persons  now  living,  till  the  removal  of  the  earth  outside  brought  the  greater 
part  of  them  down.  The  total  ruin  of  the  whole  wall  and  keep  itself 
seems  imminent  unless  means  are  promptly  taken  to  avert  it. 

Great  antiquity  is  claimed  for  this  castle.  Grose,  Cardonnel,  and 
others  suppose  it  to  have  been  built  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Duncan  de 
Lochore.  The  estate  was  then  doubtless  in  the  hands  of  that  proprietor, 
and  seems  to  have  remained  in  the  possession  of  this  family  till,  as  Grose 
tells  us,  in  the  reign  of  Robert  L,  it  "  fell  to  the  son  of  a  gentleman, 
Adam  de  Valloniis,  who  had  married  a  daughter  of  the  Barons  of  Lochor. 


FIG.  177.-  -Loch  Ore  Castle,  from  North-East. 

It  continued  in  this  family  for  a  considerable  time,  and  then  came  to  Sir 
Andrew  Wardlaw  of  Torry,  who  married  the  eldest  daughter  of  D. 
Jacobus  de  Valloniis,  in  whose  family  it  remained  till  the  time  of  King 
Charles  I."  All  the  above  authorities  and  the  Old  Statistical  Account 
agree  in  saying  that  over  the  chief  entry  to  the  tower  is  inscribed 
"  Robertus  de  Wardlaw."  It  is  thus  quite  clear  that  he  must  have  been 
the  builder  of  the  castle,  probably  during  the  fifteenth  century.  The 
character  of  the  keep  corresponds  with  that  date,  and  the  enclosing  wall, 
which  is  only  3  feet  in  thickness,  has  no  resemblance  to  the  older  walls  of 
enceinte  of  the  First  Period, 


ARNOT    TOWER 


—    245    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


BRUCE'S  CASTLE,  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

A  ruin  on  a  wooded  hill  above  Carnock  House,  and  about  one  mile 
from  Airth  Station.  The  building  has  been  a  simple  oblong  (Fig.  178),  with 
the  door  on  the  ground  floor.  Part  of  the  vaulted  basement  still  remains, 
and  a  passage  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  adjoining  the  entrance  doorway 


-fl 


JAMB  OF  FIREPLACE 
UPPER      FLOOR 


10 

-h 


20 


30 


40  FT 


FIG.  178.— Brace's  Castle.    Plan. 


probably  contained  a  straight  staircase  to  the  first  floor.  From  the  details 
of  a  fireplace  preserved  in  the  south  and  only  remaining  wall  (Fig.  1 78),  it 
seems  to  be  a  structure  of  the  Third  Period ;  but  its  history  is  unknown. 
The  elliptic  arch  over  the  doorway  recalls  those  of  Doune. 


ARNOT  TOWER,  KINROSS-SHIRE. 


A  tower  situated  in  the  parish  of  Portmoak,  about  one  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  the  village  of  Scotlandwell,  and  three  miles  west  of  the  town  of 


THIRD  PERIOD 


—  246  — 


ARNOT  TOWER 


Leslie  in  Fife.  It  stands  on  the  southern  slope  of  the  Lomond  Hills,  on  a 
small  knoll  overlooking  the  River  Leven  as  it  issues  from  Loch  Leven,  and 
close  to  a  modern  mansion-house.  It  is  a  small  rectangular  building  (Fig. 
179),  about  31  feet  by  24  feet,  and  has  had  a  courtyard  on  the  south,  one 


FIG.  179.—  Arnot  Tower.    Plan, 


wall  of  which  remains.  The  tower  has  been  very  substantially  constructed 
(Fig.  1 80),  the  walls  being  about  6  feet  6  inches  thick,  and  built  with 
coursed  ashlar.  The  ground  floor  has  been  vaulted,  and  the  inside  facing 
of  the  walls  of  that  floor  has  also  been  of  ashlar.  All  the  floors  are  gone, 


FIG.  180. — Arnot  Tower,  from  North-East. 


and  the  whole  building  much  dilapidated — no  doubt  the  work  of  violence. 
The  doorway  seems  to  have  been  at  the  south-east  angle,  which  is  now 
demolished,  and  a  circular  staircase  was  doubtless  carried  up  in  the  same 
angle. 


PITCUUIVIE,    OH   BALCRUIVIE 


—    247    — 


T1IIHD    PEHIOD 


Little  can  be  learned  of  the  history  of  the  tower,  but  "  Michael  de 
Arnot"  was  at  the  siege  of  Loch  Leven  Castle  for  Baliol  in  1334.  The 
present  tower,  however,  looks  like  fifteenth-century  work,  and  was  probably 
erected  by  his  successors  on  the  site  of  an  older  one. 


BALMUTO  TOWER,   FIFESHIRE. 

This  structure,  situated  at  the  western  extremity  of  the  parish  of  King- 
horn,  and  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  village  of  Auchtertool,  consists  of 
a  square  tower  of  considerable  antiquity  incorporated  in  a  modern  mansion- 
house. 

The  tower  is  about  33  feet  by  26  feet  6  inches,  with  walls  6  feet  6 
inches  thick.  The  ground  floor  is  still  vaulted,  and  what  seems  to  be  the 
original  door  still  remains  on  the  south  side. 

The  tower  has  been  considerably  altered ;  large  windows  with  orna- 
mental heads,  surmounted  with  cherubs,  have  been  inserted,  which  bear 
the  date  1680.  The  parapet  round  the  top  of  the  tower  seems  still  more 
modern,  but  the  corbels  under  it  are  of  the  early  mask  type,  and  may  be 
part  of  the  original  tower. 

Balmuto  belonged  of  old  to  a  family  of  the  name  of  Glen,  which  ended 
in  an  heiress  who  married  Sir  John  Boswell,  previously  designed  of 
Balgregre,  who  died  before  1430.  The  tower  still  remains  with  the 
Boswell  family. 


PITCRUIVIE,  OR  BALCRUIVIE,  FIFESHIRE. 

This  picturesque  ruin  stands  at  the  north  end  of  "  Kiels  Den,"  about  a 
mile  north-west  of  the  village  of  Upper  Largo.     It  is  a  rectangular  tower 


GROUHO  PLHN 


FIRST  FLOOR  PLHH 

I ""I 1 


FIG.  181.— Pitcruivie,  or  Balcruivie.    Plans. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  248  — 


GUTHRIE    CASTLE 


(Fig.  181),  38  feet  9  inches  by  25  feet  6  inches.  The  entrance  was  at  the 
north-east  corner,  where  the  remains  of  a  projecting  stair  still  exist.  The 
basement  contains  two  vaulted  apartments,  and  on  the  first  floor  is  the 
hall,  27  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet  9  inches,  lighted  with  three  windows,  and 
provided  with  a  large  fireplace  in  the  south  end.  The  upper  floors,  which 
are  now  gone,  would  be  reached  by  a  continuation  of  the  turnpike  stair  at 
the  north-east  corner.  The  walls  are  5  feet  6  inches  thick. 

Pitcruivie  originally  formed  part  of  the  barony  of  Lundin,  but  was 
acquired  by  marriage,  in  1498,  by  John,  afterwards  Sir  John  Lindsay  of 
Pitcruivie,  son  of  the  fourth  Lord  Lindsay  of  the  Byres.  This  Sir  John 
was  joint-Sheriff  of  Fife  in  1517,  and  probably  he  built  the  castle  as  a 
separate  residence  during  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  who  resided  at 
Struthers  Castle.  The  lands  were  afterwards  sold  to  James  Watson, 
Provost  of  St  Andrews. 


GUTHRIE  CASTLE,*  FORFARSHIRE. 

An  old  square  tower,  to  which  a  modern  mansion  has  been  added.  It 
is  situated  near  Guthrie  Junction,  about  midway  between  Forfar  and 
Montrose.  The  castle  is  said  to  have  been  erected  by  Sir  David  Guthrie 
in  1468,  and  is  still  held  by  his  descendant,  the  present  proprietor.  The 


PIG.  182.— Guthrie  Castle.    Plans. 

old  castle  consists  of  a  tower  (Fig.  182),  40  feet  by  31  feet.  The  walls 
are  5  feet  to  6  feet  in  thickness,  except  that  containing  the  entrance  door, 
which  is  increased  to  8  feet  in  order  to  contain  the  straight  staircase, 
which  ascends  in  its  thickness  from  the  entrance  door  to  the  first  floor. 
*  We  have  to  thank  Mr.  Bryce  for  the  Plans  of  this  castle. 


OLD   SLAINS   CASTLK 


—    249    — 


TI1IKD    PEHIOD 


The  ground  floor  contains  two  cellars,  with  doors  opposite  the  entrance 
door.     The  upper  floors  were  approached  by  a  wheel-stair  in  a  tower  pro- 


Fio.  183.— Guthrie  Castle. 


jecting  from  one  angle,  and  each  contained  an  apartment  28  feet  by  20 
feet.  The  whole  building  has  been  restored,  and  a  boldly-corbelled  parapet 
added  in  modern  times  (Fig.  183). 


OLD   SLAINS   CASTLE,   ABERDEENSHIRK. 

A  fragment  of  a  keep,  with  foundations  of  walls,  are  all  that  now 
remain  of  this  strong  fortress  of  the  Earls  of  Errol.  It  was  demolished 
by  James  VI.  in  1594,  after  the  battle  of  Glenlivat.  The  site  is  a  very 
fine  one,  being  the  summit  of  a  rocky  promontory  on  the  east  coast,  about 
midway  between  Aberdeen  and  Peterhead,  commanding  an  extensive 
view  over  the  German  Ocean  and  the  adjoining  bays.  The,  castle  pro- 
bably belonged  to  the  Third  Period.  It  seems  to  have  been  an  extensive 
stronghold,  and  to  have  been  protected  by  a  deep  fosse  with  a  drawbridge. 


THIRD    PERIOD  —    250   —  ACKERGILL   TOWER 


BODDAM   CASTLE,   ABERDEENSHIRK. 

A  ruin,  standing  on  a  promontory  which  projects  into  the  German 
Ocean,  a  few  miles  south  of  Peterhead.  A  few  arches  and  walls,  with 
traces  of  foundations,  are  all  that  now  survive  of  this  ancient  seat  of  the 
Keiths  of  Ludquharn.  Its  age  can  scarcely  be  determined,  but  it  is  prob- 
ably of  the  Third  Period. 


ACKERGILL  TOWER,*  CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

Ackergill  Tower  overlooks  the  sea,  about  one  mile  west  from  Girnigoe 
Castle,  and  about  three  miles  from  Wick.  The  situation  is  on  level 
ground,  and  is  not  naturally  protected,  so  that  in  all  likelihood  it  was 
surrounded  by  a  ditch  and  other  defences,  but  all  traces  of  such  works 
have  long  since  disappeared. 

The  tower  (Fig.  184)  measures  48  feet  by  34  feet,  and  is  68  feet  high 
to  the  top  of  the  circular  turrets,  and  17  feet  more  to  the  top  of  the 
chimneys;  while  the  walls  are  from  9  feet  to  10  feet  thick  from  top  to 
bottom.  Various  alterations  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  to  adapt 
the  structure  to  modern  requirements,  the  latest  being  in  1851,  from  the 
plans  of  the  late  David  Bryce,  R.S.A.  The  capehouse  (Fig.  185)  on  the 
top  of  the  tower  is  entirely  the  work  of  Mr.  Bryce,  who  also  put  a  new 
cope  on  the  top  of  the  walls  and  restored  the  round  turrets,  while  at 
various  times  old  windows  or  slits  have  been  enlarged  and  new  windows 
opened  out,  but  the  general  scheme  and  outline  of  the  tower  still  remain. 
The  basement  and  first  floors  are  vaulted.  From  the  entrance  passage  on 
the  ground  floor,  a  straight  flight  of  steps  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall 
leads  up  to  the  first  floor  and  terminates  there,  the  ascent  to  the  top  being 
effected  by  a  wheel-stair  at  the  opposite  or  north-west  corner  of  the  tower. 
The  hall  is  the  only  apartment  on  the  first  floor.  It  measures  28  feet 
long  by  18  feet  wide,  and  is  23  feet  high  to  the  vaulted  roof.  Entering 
from  the  hall,  in  the  thickness  of  the  east  wall,  there  is  a  long  gallery, 
from  which  a  stair  led  up  only  to  a  similar  gallery  about  10  or  12  feet 
above  the  floor.  This  may  have  formed  an  arrangement  similar  to  the 
minstrels'  gallery  at  Mearns  and  Dean  Castle,  or  there  may  have  been  an 
upper  floor  in  the  vault  as  at  Craigmillar. 

On  the  floor  over  the  vault  of  the  hall,  which,  on  the  above  supposi- 
tion of  a  floor  in  the  vault,  would  be  the  third  floor,  the  north-west  stair 
lands  in  a  passage  in  the  thickness  of  the  north  wall.  This  passage  seems 
to  have  run  along  in  the  north  and  east  walls,  and  gave  separate  access 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Bryce  for  the  Plans  and  section  of  this  castle,  which 
are  shown  as  they  existed  before  the  additions  and  alterations  were  made. 


ACKERGILL   TOWER 


—  251  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


to  the  two  apartments  on  this  floor.  It  is  now  impossible  to  say  whether 
it  was  continued  uninterruptedly  round  the  two  sides,  or  whether  it  was 
divided  by  cross  walls.  In  the  south  wall  there  are  two  mural  chambers 
entering  off  the  ingoing  of  one  of  the  windows.  The  fourth  floor,  which 


FOURTH       FLOOR 

Fio.  184.— Ackergill  Tower.    Plans  and  Section. 

was  reached  by  the  north-west  wheel-stair,  was  similar  in  arrangement  to 
the  floor  just  described. 

The  top  floor  is  entirely  new,  and  is  approached  by  the  north-west 
turret  stair,  which  also  leads  to  the  battlements.  There  is ,  likewise  a 
turret  stair  in  the  north-east  angle  of  this  floor  leading  to  the  roof. 

Immediately  south-east  of  the  tower  stand  the  two  dovecots,  shown  in 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    252    — 


ACKERGILL    TOWER 


Fig.  185.  They  are  a  little  further  off  in  reality  than  shown,  but  are 
brought  nearer  so  as  not  to  unduly  increase  the  size  of  the  view.  The 
position  of  Girnigoe  Castle  is  also  indicated  in  the  sketch. 

The  lands  of  Ackergill  belonged  to  the  Cheynes,  a  well-known  and 
powerful  family  in  the  north  of  Scotland,  from  the  thirteenth  century. 
About  the  year  1350,  Reginald  Oheyne,  the  head  of  the  family,  died, 
ending  the  male  line  and  leaving  two  daughters,  one  of  whom,  Mary, 
married  John,  second  son  of  ^Edward  Keith,  the  marischal,  thus  making 


FIG.  185.— Ackergill  Tower,  from  South- West. 

their  son  proprietor  of  Ackergill  as  well  as  of  Inverugie  in  Buchan.    Acker- 
gill  thereafter  became  the  residence  of  the  Keiths  when  in  Caithness. 

We  have  no  information  as  to  when  Ackergill  was  built,  but  it  is 
undoubtedly  an  ancient  tower,  and  may  date  from  the  fifteenth  century. 
In  the  following  century  (1538),  we  find  from  the  Origines  Parochiales 
Scotice,  vol.  n.  part  ii.,  that  the  castle  was  granted  by  James  v.,  with  half 
of  the  lands  of  Ackergill,  to  William,  Earl  Marischal,  and  Lady  Margaret 
Keith,  his  wife  ;  and  nine  years  later  the  Queen  Regent  granted  a  remis- 
sion to  George,  Earl  of  Caithness,  and  others,  for  their  treasonable  taking 
of  Alexander  Keith,  captain  of  the  castle,  and  of  John  Skarlet,  his  ser- 


CASTLE    VARRICH 


—    253   — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


vitor,  and  detaining  them  against  their  will  in  Girnigoe,  Brawl,  and  other 
places.  Again,  in  1556,  the  same  Earl  of  Caithness  had  a  remission  for 
besieging  the  house  and  fortalice  of  Ackergill,  belonging  to  William,  Earl 
Marischal. 

In  1549  Queen  Mary  bestowed  Ackergill  on  Lord  Oliphant,  son  and 
heir-apparent  of  Laurence,  third  Lord  Oliphant. 

A  writer  in  1726  says  Ackergill  Tower  was  then  "a  strong  house,  and  yet 
in  repair,  and  betwixt  that  and  the  sea  is  a  good  new  house  lately  built." 


DIRLOT  CASTLE,   CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

A  fragmentary  ruin,  occupying  a  very  picturesque  position  on  the  top 
of  an  isolated  crag  close  to  the  Eiver  Thurso,  about  fifteen  miles  south 
from  the  town  of  the  same  name.  It  is  said  to  have  been  held  in  the 
fourteenth  century  by  Donald  Cheyne,  one  of  the  scions  of  that  family, 


'w/l<llll 

^^^^^'^ 


Fio.  180.— Dirlot  Castle.    Plan. 

long  so  powerful  in  the  North.  In  1464  it  was  in  the  hands  of  George 
Gunn,  Crumer  or  Crown  representative,  and  head  of  the  Clan  Gunn.  The 
keep  occupied  an  almost  inaccessible  peak.  It  has  been  of  the  usual 
quadrilateral  form  (Fig.  186),  and  has  had  a  small  courtyard  attached  to 
it ;  but  it  is  now  reduced  to  a  few  remains  of  the  walls,  from  which  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Miller  has  prepared  the  accompanying  Plan. 


CASTLE  VARRICH,*   SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 

This  is  almost  the  only  ancient  castle  on  the  north  and  west  coasts  of 
Sutherlandshire.     It  is  a  shattered  tower  of  small  size,  standing  con- 

*  We  have  to  thank  the  Rev.  Mr.  Miller  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Burns  for  the  Plan, 
Sketch,  and  particulars  of  this  remote  and  inaccessible  building. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    254    — 


CASTLE   VARRICH 


spicuously  on  the  summit  of  a  promontory  near  the  head  of  the  Kyle 
of  Tongue.  The  history  of  this  keep  is  unknown,  but  it  is  supposed  to 
have  belonged  to  the  Bishop  of  Caithness,  who  used  to  stay  here  on  his 
way  from  his  castle  at  Scrabster  to  his  house  and  lands  at  Balnakiel,  near 
Cape  Wrath. 

The  structure  (Fig.  187)  seems  to  have  been  rather  a  house  than  a 
castle,  and  is  probably  of  late  date.  It  consisted  of  two  stories,  and 
seemingly  an  attic  in  the  roof.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted,  and 
measured  6  feet  6  inches  from  the  springing  to  the  door  sill,  but  the 
arch  has  now  fallen  in.  This  floor  had  a  door  to  the  outside,  and  also  a 
narrow  window.  It  was  probably  used  for  the  cattle  and  horses,  as  there 
is  no  stair  to  the  first  floor. 

The  latter  contained  a  single  apartment,  14  feet  by  13  feet,  and 
was  probably  entered  from  the  exterior  by  a  ladder,  giving  access  to  a 
door  in  the  west  wall.  There  seems  to  have  been  a  window  in  the  east 


GROUND     FLOOR 

I  i I  I  I  I  I  I  II 


,    FLOOR 


PIG.  187.— Castle  Varrich.    plans. 

wall  and  a  wall  press  in  the  south  wall ;  but  the  wall  openings  are  now  so 
destroyed  that  it  is  impossible  to  make  out  clearly  what  they  were.  In 
the  north  and  south  side  walls  there  are  four  long  grooves  or  recesses,  the 
use  of  which  is  not  at  first  sight  quite  apparent.  They  have  not  been 
loopholes  or  windows,  as  they  have  no  external  opening.  Mr.  Miller 
suggests  what  appears  to  be  the  simplest  and  most  natural  way  of 
explaining  them — viz.,  that  they  correspond  with  the  recesses  in  the 
side  walls  of  thatched  cottages,  into  which  the  couples  formed  of  natural 
wood  are  built.  To  any  one  familiar  with  the  construction  of  the  thatched 
cottages  in  the  Highlands,  where  the  bent  rafters  sometimes  spring  from 
the  ground  and  curve  upwards  to  the  ridge,  like  the  inverted  ribs  of  a  ship, 
the  above  will  seem  a  very  likely  explanation.  The  ties  of  the  roof  would 
form  the  ceiling  of  the  first  floor,  and  there  was  doubtless  a  loft  in  the 
roof  above.  Mr.  Miller  further  points  out  that  there  was  very  likely  a 
parapet  at  the  top  of  the  walls,  as  a  piece  of  "  faced  work  "  remains  above 
the  roof,  at  the  place  where  the  inside  of  the  parapet  would  be. 


CASTLE   VARRICH 


—    255    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD  —    256    —  LETHINGTON   CASTLE 

The  whole  of  the  structure  is  a  somewhat  rough  one ;  the  masonry  is 
coarse  and  the  setting  out  irregular.  Two  or  three  of  the  upper  stones 
of  the  jambs  of  the  door  are  overlapped  and  projected  inwards,  so  as  to 
diminish  the  space  of  the  lintel. 


CASTLES     OF    THE     L    PLAN. 

LETHINGTON  CASTLE,  HADDINGTONSHIRE. 

This  castle  stands  embosomed  amid  the  dark  woods  planted  about  two 
centuries  ago  by  John,  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  at  a  distance  of  about  two 
miles  south  from  the  town  of  ITaddington,  from  which  it  was  approached 
by  an  avenue  with  an  arched  entrance  gateway.  Another  approach,  from 
the  west,  was  by  a  similar  avenue  and  gateway  ;  the  latter  gateway  has 
been  very  handsome,  but  is  now  ruinous.  A  seventeenth-century  mansion, 
which  has  now  been  considerably  altered  and  modernised,  was  attached  to 
the  old  fortalice  on  its  eastern  side,  the  whole  forming  the  occasional  re- 
sidence of  Lord  Blantyre,  the  present  proprietor.  Lethington  is  a  massive 
example  of  a  fifteenth-century  castle  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  189),  the  main 
body  measuring  54  feet  10  inches  from  north  to  south  by  38  feet  from  east 
to  west ;  while  along  the  south  or  largest  front,  including  the  wing,  it 
measures  61  feet  9  inches.  The  castle  contains  four  stories,  and  is  58  feet 
high  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  parapet,  while  the  walls  vary  from 
8  to  10  feet  in  thickness.  The  entrance  doorway,  where  the  iron  yett  still 
hangs,  is  in  the  re-entering  angle  on  the  north  side  of  the  wing,  and  im- 
mediately opposite  it  is  a  wide  wheel-staircase  leading  to  the  first  floor, 
where,  in  the  usual  manner,  it  terminates.  Another  entrance  doorway 
near  the  north  end  leads  directly  into  the  vaulted  ground  floor — a  dark 
chamber,  having  only  two  narrow  slits  for  light  and  air.  A  narrow  passage 
in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  conducts  from  this  door  to  the  main  entrance 
doorway  and  staircase.  Two  entrance  doorways  in  a  building  of  this  class 
are  rather  unusual  features,  and  would  render  the  house  open  to  attack. 
The  northern  one  is  probably  a  late  insertion,  meant,  as  at  Balvaird 
(where  there  are  also  two  outside  doors),  to  be  used,  as  occasion  required, 
for  the  housing  of  cattle  and  horses.  The  openness  to  attack  would  be  to 
some  extent  diminished  by  the  existence  of  a  walled  barmkin,  portions  of 
which  still  exist,  although  it  cannot  be  fully  traced  amid  the  offices 
and  other  buildings  of  the  modern  mansion.  The  arched  and  moulded 
entrance  gateway  (Fig.  190),  however,  yet  remains,  but  is  of  a  later  date 
than  the  castle.  On  the  lintel  of  the  main  entrance  doorway  of  the  keep 
is  carved  the  following  inscription  : — 


LETIIINGTON    CASTLE 


—    257    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


QVISNAM   E    MAETELLANA    STIRPE    FVNDAMENTA 

JECERIT,    QVIS   TVRRIM    EXITAVERIT   INVIDA    CELAVIT 

ANTIQUITAS.         LUMINARIA    AUXIT,    PACILIOREM 

ASCENSUM    PRAEBUIT.        ORNATIONEM    REDDIDIT 

JOANNES    MAETELLANUS    LAUDERI^E    COMES 

AN    AERAE    CHR    MDCXXVI. 

Over  the  other  outside  door  are  the  Maitland  arms. 


I 


BATTLEMENTS 


SECOND         FLOOR. 


FIRST      FLOOR 


GROUND        FlQOR 


Pis.  189.— Lethington  Castle.     Plans. 
R 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    258    — 


LETHIXGTON    CASTLE 


Entering  off  the  wheel-stair,  and  about  half  way  up  to  the  hall,  there 
is  a  mural  chamber  (shown  by  white  lines  on  the  Plan  of  this  floor), 
measuring  about  8  feet  by  4  feet,  with  an  opening  commanding  the  two 
entrance  doorways.  On  the  first  floor  is  the  hall  (now  converted  into  a 
kitchen),  a  spacious  vaulted  apartment,  measuring  39  feet  long  by  21  feet 


Fio.  190.  —  Lethington  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 


wide,  and  lighted  on  three  sides  by  four  deeply-recessed  and  wide 
windows.  The  room  in  the  wing  enters  both  from  the  hall  and  from 
the  staircase,  and  contained  a  recess,  through  which  now  passes  the 
communication  with  the  modern  house.  In  forming  this  connection, 
what  seems  to  have  been  a  large  fireplace  has  been  cut  through.  This, 


LKTHINOTON    CASTLK 


259  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


together  with  the  great  thickness  of  the  east  gable,  seems  to  indicate  that 
this  apartment  was  formerly  the  kitchen  of  the  castle.  Crossing  from  the 
principal  staircase  landing  to  the  south-west  corner  of  the  hall,  another 
inner  staircase  is  seen,  leading  to  the  upper  floors  and  to  the  battlements. 
From  the  second  floor  a  narrow  wheel-stair  in  the  north  wall  of  the  wing 
leads  to  the  bedrooms  in  the  attic  floor,  but  it  seems  pretty  clear  that  this 
stair  is  a  late  insertion,  as  the  parapet  walk  above  it  has  been  raised 


Fio.  191. — Lethington  Castle.    Room  on  Second  Floor. 

in  order  to  give  head-room  beneath  for  the  stair-landing  in  the  passage 
to  the  attics.  Fig.  191  shows  the  ceiling  and  fireplace  of  a  small  room 
on  the  second  floor  to  the  south.  The  ceiling,  unfortunately,  is  in 
a  ruinous  state ;  it  contains  the  initials  IMS,  frequently  repeated, 
for  John,  second  Lord  Maitland  and  Earl  of  Lauderdale,  and  his  wife, 
Isabel  Seton,  a  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Dunfermline.  He  was  created 
earl  in  1640,  while,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  Sketch,  the  date  on  the 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    260    — 


LETHINGTON    CASTLE 


fireplace  is  1632,  and  that  on  the  arms  (see  margin  Sketch)  is  1618 ;  yet 
the  latter  contains  an  earl's  coronet  before  the  owner  had  that  dignity 
conferred  upon  him.  The  panelling,  arms,  and  dates  are  all  in  plaster 
work,  so  that  the  arms  may  easily  have  been  added  to,  and,  indeed, 


Pio.  192. — Lethington  Castle     View  from  South-West. 

present  a  somewhat  patched  appearance.  The  height  of  the  room  is 
8  feet  1 1  inches.  At  the  top  of  the  main  stair  a  small  room  is  enclosed 
with  a  timber  partition,  similar  in  idea  to,  although  on  a  much  smaller 
scale  than,  the  rooms  referred  to  at  the  stair-tops  of  Fyvie  and  Notland, 


LKTIIINGTON   CASTLE 


—  261  — 


THIRD    PE1UO 


From  this  point  a  narrow  wheel-stair,  in  a  turret  slightly  corbelled  out  in 
the  south  wall,  leads  to  a  lofty  capehouse  perched  on  the  angle  of  the 
battlements  (Fig.  192),  containing  two  rooms,  one  of  which  has  a  fireplace. 
The  stone  walls  at  the  inner  (or  north-east)  angle  of  this  room  are,  for  a 
length  of  6  or  7  feet,  over  a  void,  as  will  be  seen  by  comparing  the  Plans. 
The  doorway  shown  at  the  side  of  the  fireplace  opens  into  the  roof. 

The  battlements  are  wide  and  spacious,  with  rounded  angle  bartizans 
and  projecting  gargoyles  of  a  square  oblong  form,  each  roughly  but  effectively 
hewn  in  the  form  of  a  monster.  The  angle  turret  on  the  corner  of  the  cape- 
house  is  solid.  The  capehouse  is  evidently  a  late  addition,  constructed  so  as 


Fio.  193.— Lethington  Castle.    View  on  the  Battlements. 

to  provide  an  additional  room,  which  might  also  serve  as  a  watch  turret. 
The  angle  bartizan  at  this  corner  was  no  doubt  previously  the  same  as 
those  of  the  other  angles,  and  has  simply  been  heightened  and  incorporated 
with  the  capehouse  wall,  as  shown  on  the  Plan  of  that  room. 

In  many  of  our  castles  we  find  some  special  means  of  defence  over 
the  doorways,  both  in  the  earlier  and  later  buildings.  At  Bothwell, 
Preston,  Threave,  and  Skipness  we  have  examples  of  the  precautions 
taken  for  this  purpose ;  and  at  Elcho  a  great  stone  lintel  stretched 
between  the  walls  at  the  re-entering  angle  over  the  doorway.*  This  we 

*  Vol.  n.  p.  99. 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    262    -  LETHINGTON    CASTLE 

conjectured  to  be  the  support  of  some  kind  of  wooden  breteche  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  defenders ;  and  here  at  Lethington  we  have  the  same  idea 
carried  out  in  stonework  (Fig.  193),  supported  on  a  squinch  arch  thrown 
across  the  re-entering  angle.  The  front  is  pierced  with  six  small  shot- 
holes,  and  probably  the  angle  space  inside,  although  now  covered  over, 
was  originally  open,  to  permit  of  missiles  being  thrown  down  on  the  heads 
of  those  attempting  to  force  the  door.  A  few  years  ago  the  battlements 
were  in  a  leaky  condition,  and  the  water  was  percolating  through  the  walls, 
when  Lord  Blantyre  caused  them  to  be  put  in  a  thorough  state  of  repair — 
a  course  which  might  with  advantage  be  followed  by  many  of  the  pro- 
prietors of  our  ancient  castles. 

The  Maitlands  of  Lethington  are  familiar  figures  to  all  readers  of 
Scottish  history,  in  the  making  of  which  many  of  them  had  no  small 
share.  To  which  of  the  family  this  castle  owes  its  origin  we  have  no 
definite  information,  and  the  inscription  over  the  doorway  shows  that  in 
1626  Lord  Lauderdale  was  equally  ignorant. 

In  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century  Sir  Robert  Maitland  of 
Thirlstane  obtained  a  charter  of  the  lands  of  Lethington,  in  which  son 
succeeded  father  down  to  the  time  of  Charles  n.,  when  the  estate  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  ancestors  of  Lord  Blantyre.  The  fourteenth 
century  is  too  early  a  date  for  the  erection  of  a  castle  designed  like  this 
one.  Probably  it  is  a  work  of  the  second  half  of  the  following  century. 
The  well-known  Sir  Richard  Maitland  is  believed  to  have  been  born  here 
in  1496,  and  it  is  certain  that  he  here  passed  the  greater  portion  of  his 
later  lifetime  "  in  the  cultivation  and  collection  of  verse.  The  Maitland 
"  manuscripts  preserved  at  Cambridge  are  worth  far  more  than  their 
"  weight  in  gold — are,  in  fact,  invaluable  ;  for  had  they  not  been  pre- 
"  served,  much  of  the  early  poetry  of  Scotland  would  have  been  entirely 
"  lost."* 

It  is  in  Sir  Richard's  time  (he  lived  till  1585)  that  we  find  the  first 
traces  of  the  existence  of  the  castle,  but  we  do  not  think  it  probable  that 
it  was  erected  by  him  ;  and  the  following  verses  by  Sir  Richard  in  praise 
of  the  castle,  its  largeness  and  its  strength,  seem  to  bear  out  the  idea  that 
he  is  singing  the  achievements  of  an  ancestral  builder : — 

"  Thy  tour  and  fortres,  lairge  and  lang, 

Thy  neighbours  does  excell ; 
And  for  thy  wallis  thick  and  strang, 

Thou  graitly  beirs  the  bell. 
Thy  groundis  deep,  and  topis  hie, 

Uprising  in  the  air, 
Thy  vaultis  pleasing  are  to  sie, 

They  are  so  greit  and  fair. 

*  Mr.  Skeltou's  Scotland  of  Mary  Stuart. 


MEHCJIISTON   CASTLE  -    263   —  THIRD   PERIOD 

"  Greit  was  the  work  to  houke  the  grouud, 

And  thy  foundation  cast  ; 
Bot  greater  it  was  then  to  found, 

And  end  thee  at  the  last. 
I  marvel  that  he  did  not  feir, 

Wha  raised  thee  on  hicht, 
That  na  foundation  should  thee  beir, 

Bot  thou  should  sink  for  wecht." 

During  Sir  Richard's  lifetime  (as  we  learn  from  the  Diurnal  of 
Occurrents)  the  castle  was  attacked  and  burnt  by  the  English,  who 
"  upon  the  15th  day  thereof  "  (September  1549)  "  past  out  of  Haddington 
and  burnt  it  and  Leddington,  and  past  away  without  any  battell,  for  the 
pest  and  hunger  was  richt  evil  amangst  them." 

Sir  Richard  and  his  sons  have  conferred  a  lustre  on  the  old  tower  of 
Lethington,  rendering  it  a  familiar  name  to  many  who  never  saw  it. 
Here  were  born  William  Maitland,  the  Secretary  of  State ;  John,  the 
Chancellor ;  Thomas  Maitland,  who  died  young,  but  not  without  leaving 
a  name  in  contemporary  literature  ;  and  here,  too,  the  Chancellor's  son, 
John,  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  first  saw  the  light. 


MERCHISTON  CASTLE,  EDINBURGH. 

Merchiston,  forever  associated  with  the  name  of  Napier,  and  widely 
known  as  the  birthplace  and  residence  of  John  Napier,  the  inventor  of 
logarithms,  is  situated  within  the  extended  bounds  of  the  City  of 
Edinburgh.  The  town  during  the  present  century  has  gradually  en- 
croached on  the  solitude  of  the  old  tower,  till  now  it  is  surrounded  with 
suburban  residences,  above  which,  however,  its  bulky  form  is  still  a  con- 
spicuous landmark  in  the  district. 

The  castle,  never  having  been  abandoned  as  a  place  of  residence,  is  in 
perfect  preservation.  It  has,  however,  been  subjected  to  various  altera- 
tions in  the  interior,  and  very  considerable  and  heterogeneous  additions 
have  been  built  on  all  sides,  in  order  to  make  it  suitable  for  the  eminent 
boarding  school  in  connection  with  which  the  name  of  Merchiston  is 
familiar  to  modern  ears.  This  explains  the  meaning  of  various  doors 
shown  on  the  Plans  on  the  north  and  south  walls,  these  being  passages  to 
the  adjoining  buildings  (Fig.  194).  The  castle  is  still  surrounded  with 
gardens  and  pleasure-grounds,  which,  together  with  the  quaint  lion-guarded 
gateway  (Fig.  195),  still  convey  a  fair  idea  of  the  aspect  and  surroundings 
of  a  Scottish  gentleman's  residence  in  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  building  is  of  the  L  Plan,  and  measures  about  43  feet  along  the 
south  front  by  28  feet  9  inches  in  width,  and  along  the  west  face  it 
measures  45  feet  9  inches.  It  contains  six  floors,  and  is  about  71  feet 


THIRO    PERIOD 


—   264   — 


MERCHISTON    CASTLE 


BATTLEMENTS 

AND 
512  FLOOR 


5ROUND  FLOOR 
Fio.  194.—  Merchiston  Castle.    Plans  and  Elevation. 


MEHCHISTON    CASTLE 


—  265  — 


THIRD    PEKIOD 


high  to  the  chimney  top.  In  its  present  condition  it  is  not  quite  clear 
where  the  original  entrance  doorway  was  situated.  The  opening  in  the 
south  wall,  with  steps  leading  to  the  wheel-stair,  is  modern,  and  all  the 
other  ground  floor  doorways  have  their  jambs  either  concealed  or  altered, 
so  that  nothing  definite  can  be  ascertained  on  this  point. 

The  ground  floor  is  divided  into  various  small  places  or  cellars,  but 
originally  it  consisted  of  two  apartments,  which,  singular  to  say,  are  not 
vaulted,  and  never  have  been,  as  is  shown  by  the  numerous  finely-wrought 
corbels,  which  exist  at  short  distances  apart,  for  carrying  the  supports  of 


Fio.  195.—  Merchiston  Castle  and  Gateway,  from  South. 

the  timber  floor.  In  connection  with  the  whole  structure  there  is  not  a 
single  vaulted  apartment,  with  the  exception  of  a  cellar  in  the  area  outside 
the  castle  at  the  re-entering  angle,  as  shown  by  hatched  lines  on  the  Ground 
Floor  Plan  and  the  east  elevation.  This  cellar,  which  is  reached  by  a  narrow 
stair  from  the  kitchen,  measures  about  16  feet  long  by  7  feet  9  inches 
wide  ;  in  its  vault  there  are  two  hatchways,  about  18  inches  wide. 

The  kitchen  seems  to  have  been  in  the  wing  on  the  ground  floor,  as 
behind  the  present  fireplace  in  the  north  wall  there  is  an  a'rched  void, 
which  can  only  be  darkly  seen  by  removing  a  stone,  but  which  was  doubtless 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    266    —  MERCHISTON    CASTLE 

the  recess  of  the  old  kitchen  fireplace,  with  a  small  window  in  the  gable  at 
the  back.  This  wall  is  carried  up  of  about  the  same  thickness  to  the  top 
of  the  building  for  the  purpose  of  containing  the  wide  kitchen  flue. 

There  is  only  one  narrow  wheel-stair  for  the  service  of  the  whole 
castle  j  it  is  situated  in  the  south-west  corner,  and  rises  from  the  ground 
to  the  battlements,  where  it  is  seen  enclosed  in  a  circular  turret.  The 
wall  which  encloses  this  stair  projects  slightly  into  the  apartments  on 
each  floor,  and  the  stair  being  thus  kept  well  in  from  the  outside  face  of 
the  walls  leaves  room  for  a  mural  chamber  leading  off  it  near  the  third 
floor  level,  and  also  for  a  passage  all  round  the  battlements.  The  parapet 
walk  is  laid  with  large  overlapping  stones,  the  water  from  which  is  dis- 
charged by  gargoyles.  As  there  are  no  gargoyles  over  the  inner  portion 
of  the  re-entering  angle,  it  may  be  presumed  that  the  entrance  door  was 
at  this  point  on  the  ground  floor,  the  object  of  this  arrangement,  of  course, 
being  to  avoid  drenching  people  with  the  water  from  the  roof  as  they 
entered  the  house. 

The  castle  seems  to  have  received  additions  and  alterations  in  the 
seventeenth  century  ;  and  to  this  period  most  of  the  internal  features, 
which  are  not  quite  modern,  belong — such  as  the  east  room  on  the  first 
floor,  with  the  fine  plaster  ceiling  shown  in  Fig.  196.  It  contains  two 
medallions — one  of  David  with  his  harp,  and  another  of  Alexander.  The 
wide  mullioned  window  seen  in  this  view  is  not  original.  The  windows  at 
this  level  and  on  the  floor  below  were,  doubtless  for  security,  made  very 
small  at  first.  There  are  also  several  painted  coats  of  arms  on  various 
parts  of  the  interior.  They  are  quarterly,  first  and  fourth,  argent,  a 
saltire  ingrailed,  cantoned  with  four  roses  gules,  for  Napier ;  second  and 
third,  or,  on  a  bend  azure,  a  mullet  betwixt  two  crescents  of  the  first, 
within  a  double  tressure,  flowered  and  counter-flowered,  of  the  second,  for 
Scott  of  Thirlstane.  These  probably  date  from  early  in  last  century,  as 
in  1699  Elizabeth  Napier  was  married  to  William  Scott,  son  and  heir  of 
Francis  Scott  of  Thirlstane.  To  this  time  also  belongs  the  entrance  gate- 
way with  the  rustic  stonework  and  the  grotesque  lions  shown  in  Fig.  195. 
It  is  similar  in  its  details  to  the  gateway  at  Neidpath,*  and  to  a  round 
gateway  at  Herdmanston,  not  far  from  Lethington,  of  which  a  Sketch 
will  be  afterwards  given.  Inside  this  gateway  there  are  two  richly-carved 
gate  pillars,  one  of  which  is  shown  in  the  Sketch  through  the  archway. 

All  the  lower  part  of  the  castle,  and  up  almost  to  the  parapet,  is  con- 
cealed by  an  addition  of  last  century ;  and,  indeed,  it  is  only  at  the  east  end 
(see  the  elevation,  Fig.  194)  where  any  part  can  be  seen  from  top  to  bottom. 

The  Napiers  were  intimately  connected  with  Edinburgh  in  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  centuries,  several  members  of  the  family  being  elected  to 
the  Chief  Magistracy  during  the  former  period.  The  castle  probably 
belongs  to  that  time,  with  the  style  of  which  it  agrees. 

*  Vol  i.  p.  186. 


MEHCHISTON   CASTLE 


—  267  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    268   —  HATTON    HOUSE 

The  situation  of  Merchiston  Castle  rendered  it  an  important  structure. 
It  was  almost  within  range  of  the  guns  of  Edinburgh  Castle,  and  was  in 
the  highway  of  approach  to  the  capital  from  the  south  and  west ;  and  on 
several  occasions  during  the  life  of  John  Napier  it  was  besieged  by  the 
Queen's  troops.  Sir  William  Kircaldy  bombarded  it  in  1571,  and  twice 
in  the  year  following  it  was  beset ;  and,  according  to  the  Diurnal  of 
Occur  rents,  p.  295,  in  May  1572,  "the  haill  houssis  wes  spoulzeit  and 
brunt,  to  haue  smokit  the  men  of  the  dungeoun  out ; "  but  assistance 
coming  to  the  inmates,  the  enemy  fled — only,  however,  to  renew  the  con- 
flict on  the  month  following,  when  they  "  maid  greit  slappis  in  the  wall." 

It  appears  evident  from  these  events  that  there  must  have  been 
strong  walls  and  other  works  at  Merchiston  besides  the  present  castle, 
which,  from  the  absence  of  vaulted  floors,  is  ill  calculated  to  resist  fire,  and 
its  walls  are  only  of  moderate  thickness.  But  enclosing  wall,  fosse,  &c., 
have  all  alike  vanished,  and  only  this  sixteenth-century  structure  is  left. 


HATTON  HOUSE/  MIDLOTHIAN. 

A  large  mansion,  situated  about  eight  or  nine  miles  west  from  Edin- 
burgh, and  about  two  miles  from  Kirknewton  Railway  Station. 

The  house  stands  at  the  base  of  a  gentle  eminence,  and  has  a  fine 
southern  aspect.  It  is  surrounded  on  the  south,  east,  and  west  sides 
with  old  terraced  gardens,  in  which  are  various  features  of  the  art  of 
the  seventeenth-century  landscape  gardener — such  as  grottoes,  summer- 
houses,  and  arched  gateways.  A  terrace  wall  runs  along  30  or  40  yards 
in  advance  of  the  south  front,  and  at  both  ends  it  has  pavilioned  summer- 
houses  similar  to  those  at  Traquair  House  ;  and  beyond  this,  in  the  low- 
lying  ground  to  the  south,  there  is  a  small  artificial  lake  with  an  island. 

Hatton  House  comprehends  several  structures  erected  at  different 
periods.  There  is,  first,  an  old  keep  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  197),  which  has  been 
encased  in  an  extensive  mansion  built  round  it  on  all  sides  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  The  keep  is  thus  completely  embedded  in  the  more 
modern  structure,  only  its  top  being  seen  rising  above  the  newer  build- 
ings (Figs.  198  and  199),  somewhat  in  the  style  of  the  renovations  at 
Kinneil  Castle.  The  ancient  parapet  on  the  east  side  (see  Fig.  197)  has  been 
removed,  and  a  balustrade  has  been  erected  in  its  stead,  but  otherwise  the 
keep  has  been  very  little  altered,  the  original  parapet  and  capehouse  being 
still  visible  on  the  north  and  west  sides  (see  Fig.  198).  It  can,  however, 
scarcely  be  said  to  be  incorporated  with  the  more  modern  house  ;  for 
while  the  latter  still  remains  inhabited,  the  keep  in  the  heart  of  it  is  in  a 

*  A  very  complete  Monograph  of  Hatton  House,  with  numerous  illustrations, 
was  printed  for  private  circulation  in  1875  by  J.  R.  Findlay,  Esq.,  to  which  the 
authors  are  indebted  for  much  information  regarding  its  history. 


IIATTON    HOUSE 


269  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


state  of  semi-ruin,  although  preserved  from  actual  decay  by  a  good  roof. 
The  keep  measures  about  55  feet  from  north  to  south,  by  about  46  feet 
from  east  to  west,  and  contains  four  stories  in  the  main  block.  The 
arched  entrance  doorway  in  the  re-entering  angle  is  still  preserved.  JThe 


Fio.  197.— Hatton  House.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

walls  measure  on  the  ground  floor  from  8  to  10  feet  in  thickness.  The 
south  wall  seems  to  have  been  thinned  in  connection  with  the  building  of 
the  later  mansion.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted  with  a  lofty  vault, 
including  two  stories  in  the  main  portion,  and  a  lower  vault  in  the  wing, 
in  which  there  is,  as  usual,  a  vaulted  entresol.  The  narrow  corkscrew 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    270    — 


HATTON    HOUSE 


HATTON    HOUSK 


—    271    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


stair,  which  adjoins  the  entrance  doorway,  leads  to  the  various  floors  and 
continues  to  the  top,  where  there  is  a  flat  roof.  The  capehouse  seems 
partly  ancient,  and  is  furnished  with  an  O.G.  roof  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  having  a  vane  with  monogram  E.  C.  M.  (see  Sketch,  Fig.  200). 
The  entrance  porch  of  the  seventeenth-century  house  is  on  the  east  side 
and  is  approached  by  a  straight  avenue  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 


»•'• » ».«  **£}*&/£$,?,  ^ ~-    — -— 


Fio.  199.— Hatton  House.    View  from  North-West. 

long,  which  enters  the  gardens  up  a  flight  of  steps  flanked  by  massive 
gate  pillars,  with  lions  on  the  top  (see  Fig.  201),  about  50  or  60  yards  to 
the  east  of  the  house.  The  east  front  is  two  stories  high,  and  has  a  flat 
roof,  so  that  the  keep  is  seen  in  the  background  towering  over  it,  and 
giving  the  mansion  a  massive  and  noble  appearance. 

The  newer  building  which  surrounds  the  old  keep  measures  /  along  the 
east  front,  over  the  towers,  about  124  feet,  and  along  the  south  front 
about  113  feet. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  272  — 


HATTON    HOUSE 


The  later  mansion  is  believed  to  have  been  at  one  time  a  complete 
square  with  a  round  tower  at  the  north-west  angle,  similar  to  those  at  the 
other  angles  ;  but,  as  the  Plan  shows,  the  length  of 
the  west  front  has  been  curtailed  by  the  demolition 
of  the  round  tower  and  buildings  adjoining.  Mr. 
Findlay  mentions  that  this  portion  was  taken  down 
"within  the  present  century,  for  the  sake  of  the 
building  materials."  The  Plan  of  the  new  house  has 
thus  been  laid  out  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  the 
seventeenth-century  mansions  surrounding  a  court- 
yard—only, instead  of  an  open  courtyard,  an  ancient 
keep  here  occupies  the  central  position.  The  en- 
trance porch  leads  to  a  handsome  hall,  39  feet  by 
18  feet,  with  round  engaged  pillars  along  the  walls,  supporting  beams. 
There  were  probably  two  rows  of  central  pillars,  two  in  each  row.  Mr 


PIG.  200.— Hatton  House. 
Vane. 


PIG.  201.— Hatton  House.    View  from  South-Weat. 


Findlay's  Plan  shows  two  of  these  pillars  still  standing.     From  this  hall  a 
doorway  on  the  right  hand  leads  to  the  grand  staircase,  which  gives  access 


HATTON    HOUSE 


273    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


Sun-dial. 


to  a  fine  suite  of  reception  rooms  on  the  first  floor.  A  doorway  at  the 
other  end  of  the  hall  leads  by  a  passage  to  the  various  rooms  in  the  south 
front.  From  the  central  room,  which  projects  beyond  the  line  of  the 
south  front,  a  double  stair  leads  down  to  the  gardens  (Fig.  201).  The 
room  at  the  south-west  corner,  and  the  round  tower  leading  off  the 
same,  marked  Boudoir  on  Plan,  still  retain  their  ancient  carved  wood 
decoration  and  enriched  ceilings.  The  kitchen  and 
offices  are  on  the  north  side,  and  access  from  them 
to  the  rooms  on  the  south  side  is  obtained  by  passing 
through  the  keep.  The  vault  in  the  main  part  of  the 
keep  has  been  removed,  so  as  to  give  better  light 
and  air. 

In  1374  Allen  de  Lauder  (keeper  of  Tantallon) 
purchased  the  lands  of  Hatton  from  John  de  Hatton. 
The  property  remained  in  the  family  of  Lauder  till  it 
passed  by  marriage  to  the  family  of  the  Maitlands  in 
F,O.  202.-Hatton  House.  the  seventeenth  century.  Sir  Richard  Lauder  (the 
last  of  Hatton)  had  two  daughters,  one  of  whom, 
Elizabeth,  was  married  in  1653  to  Charles  Maitland, 
younger  brother  of  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale,  and  his  successor  as  earl 
(for  with  the  brother  the  dukedom  expired),  and  on  her,  by  marriage 
contract,  Sir  Richard  settled  the  estate  of  Hatton.  This  Charles  Maitland 
was  the  author  of  the  mansion  built  round  the  old  keep.  On  a  sun-dial 
(Fig.  202)  near  the  top  of  the  south-east  tower,  a  monogram  of  his 
initials  and  those  of  his  wife  occurs,  with  the  date  1664  ;  and  on  another 
dial  (Fig.  203)  at  the  projecting  west  corner  there 
are  the  same  initials,  with  the  date  1675 ;  and  these 
initials  appear  again,  as  above  mentioned,  on  the  iron< 
vane  which  surmounts  the  capehouse  roof  (see  Fig. 
200). 

Mr.  Findlay  seems  to  think  that  the  centre  of  the 
east  front  is  of  later  date  than  the  north  and  south 
fronts.  There  is  nothing,  however,  in  the  style  of 
the  design  or  in  the  Plan  of  the  building  to  support 
this  view.  The  porch  and  the  cornice  with  its  balus- 
trade (as  well  as  those  on  the  keep)  are  probably  _ 

v  r/  <i     plo_  203. — Hatton  House. 

later  additions ;  but  the  whole  east  front  seems  to  sun-dial. 

be  quite  a  harmonious  composition,  carried  out  in  the 

style  practised  during  the  above  period.     It  is  not  unlike  Caroline  Park, 

built  in  1685,*  in  its  long,  low  proportions  and  crowning  balustrade. 

Earl  Charles  died  in  1691,  and  was  succeeded  in  Hatton  by  his  second 
son,  Sir  John  Maitland,  who  in  time  became  fifth  Earl  of  Lauderdale.  He 
married  Margaret  Cunningham,  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Glencairn. 

*  Vol.  n.  p.  456. 
a 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  274  — 


HATTON    HOUSE 


Their  initials  occur  on  some  of  the  garden  buildings  ;  and  they  probably 
laid  out  the  grounds  aind  adorned  the  gardens  in  the  princely  style  of 
which  we  still  see  traces.  To  them  also  may  be  referred  the  large  bath- 
room beneath  the  terrace,  which  measured  about  20  feet  by  12  feet,  and 
about  12  feet  high.  "The  floor  was  a  tessellated  pavement  of  octagonal 


FIG.  204.— Hatton  House.    Entrance  Gateway. 

slabs  of  freestone  and  black  marble."  The  bath  itself  is  a  circular  basin 
of  freestone,  10  feet  in  diameter  and  4  feet  deep,  into  which  the  water 
flowed  from  an  ornamental  font  in  the  wall. 

None  of  the  successors  of  the  fifth  earl  appear  to  have  added  to  or 
built  at  Hatton,  and  the  property  passed  out  of  their  hands  in  1792. 


HRIDKE    CASTLE 


—    275 


THIRD    PERIOD 


Fio.  205. 
Hatton  House. 
Lander  Arms. 


The  gateway  (Fig.  204)  was  built  in  1692.  It  appears  to  have  been 
shifted  from  its  original  site  to  where  it  now  is  in  1829,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  have  had  the  two  side  gateways  for  foot  passengers  added. 

A  castle  existed  here  in  the  fifteenth  century,  which  appears  "  to  have 
been  captured  and  held  in  the  Douglas  interest  (Lauder  having  taken  a 
prominent  part  in  connection  with  the  assassination  of 
Douglas  by  James  in  Stirling),  and  retaken  after  a  siege, 
for  the  carrying  on  of  which  the  king,  James  n.,  supplied 
much  important  material,"*  as,  in  July  1453,  expenses  are 
charged  for  sending  to  the  siege  of  Haltone  House  the  great 
bombard,  and  stones  for  the  same,  as  well  as  bows,  and  a 
machine  called  the  Sow.  Charges  are  also  allowed  for  the 
hire  of  men  and  horses,  for  iron  caps  called  "  Salattis,"  and 
for  pitch,  bitumen  carts,  and  for  the  wages  and  expenses  of 
masons  and  carpenters  present  at  the  tower  of  Haltone 
during  the  siege. 

To  what  extent  the  castle  suffered  by  the  operations  of  the  siege  we 
do  not  find,  but  in  1515  William  de  Laudre  received  from  the  king 
(James  v.)  a  licence  "to  fortify  or  re-edify  his 
house  at  Halton;"  and  Mr.  Findlay  thinks  that 
"this  date,  1515,  is  the  earliest  which  can  with 
anything  like  certainty  be  fixed."  It  is  quite 
possible,  however,  that  the  walls,  which  are  of 
great  thickness,  may  have  belonged  to  the  castle 
which  was  besieged  and  partly  destroyed  in  the 
time  of  James  II. 

The  Lauder  arms,  shown  on  Fig.  205,  occur 
between  the  second  and  third  floor  windows  in  the 

centre  of  the  south  front,  where  they  must  have  been  inserted  from  an 
older  building.  Several  sun-dials  occur  on  different  parts  of  the  mansion, 
that  in  Fig.  206  being  on  the  south-east  tower. 


1 


10    il     12    i    2     3 


Fio.  206.— Hatton  House. 
Sun-dial  on  South-East  Tower. 


BRIDGE  CASTLE,   LINLITHGOWSHIRE. 

The  baronial  mansion  of  the  regality  of  Ogilface,  situated  in  the  parish 
of  Torphichen,  about  three  miles  north-west  from  Bathgate,  in  a  beautifully 
wooded  dell  rising  up  from  the  Barbauchan  Burn,  a  small  tributary  of  the 
Avon.  The  castle  was  originally  of  the  L  Plan,  but  has  some  pecu- 
liarities, a  smaller  block  containing  a  kitchen  having  been  added  to  the 
south  of  the  wing  (Fig.  207).  The  main  block  measures  about  36  feet  9 
inches  by  27  feet  8  inches,  and  contains  four  floors  with  an  attic.  The 
lesser  block  measures  about  22  feet  by  21  feet.  These  blocks  are  sepa- 
*  Chamberlain  Rolls,  Vol.  in.  pp.  574-76. 


THIRD  PERIOD  276  BRIDGE  CASTLE 

rated  from  each  other  by  a  small  space,  which  was  occupied  by  the  original 
wing  containing  the  staircase.  This  stair  is  now  removed,  except  on  the 
upper  floors,  where  it  exists  in  timber,  and  a  new  stair  is  introduced  in  a 
tower  built  for  it  at  the  re-entering  angle,  where  shown  by  dotted  lines  on 
the  First  Floor  Plan. 

The  castle  is  otherwise  considerably  altered.  Having  been  converted 
from  a  roofless  ruin  into  a  comfortable  mansion  in  the  recollection  of  living 
persons,  it  was  necessarily  renovated  and  adapted  to  modern  requirements. 
Thus  while  formerly  a  level  space  extended  all  round  the  castle,  and  the 
ground  sloped  rapidly  upwards  some  15  or  20  feet  along  the  west  side, 
this  space  has  now  been  filled  in  to  a  considerable  extent  with  earth  so  as 
to  make  the  new  entrance,  which  is  placed  in  the  west  side  on  the  first 
floor,  level.  The  original  entrance  was  on  the  ground  floor,  probably  in 
the  east  side  of  the  staircase  wing,  but  has  now  been  altered  to  the  point 
marked  A  on  Plan.  The  modern  entrance  to  the  house  consists  of  a  large 


FIG.  207.— Bridge  Castle.    Plan  of  First,  Floor. 

porch  projecting  westwards,  the  pointed  door  of  which,  with  a  large  bead 
moulding,  is  old,  and  has  evidently  been  brought  from  somewhere  else. 

The  whole  of  the  ground  floor  is  vaulted.  On  the  basement  of  the  larger 
block  there  is  a  kitchen  with  two  cellars,  as  shown  by  dotted  lines  on 
Plan.  On  the  first  floor  of  the  south  or  smaller  block  there  is  another 
vaulted  kitchen,  with  a  fine  arched  fireplace,  having  a  recess  at  one  end. 
The  existence  of  these  two  kitchen  fireplaces  accounts  for  the  great  width 
and  bulk  of  the  two  chimney-stacks,  shown  in  the  View  (Fig.  208),  the 
flues  of  the  kitchen  chimneys  of  these  old  houses  being  generally  much 
larger  than  those  of  the  other  fireplaces.  It  is  singular  to  find  two  kitchens 
in  a  house  of  this  size,  but  the  explanation  evidently  is  that  the  castle  was 
built  at  two  different  periods,  the  larger  block  with  the  stair  wing  being 
built  first,  and  the  smaller  block  being  added  afterwards. 

The  original  keep  is  the  "  fortalice  "  of  Little  Brighouse  referred  to 
in  a  charter  about  to  be  quoted.  The  place  passed  into  the  possession 


BRIDGE    CASTLE 


—    277 


THIRD    PERIOD 


of  Livingston,  Earl  of  Linlithgow,  in  1588,  when  the  charter  was 
conferred  by  James  vi.  The  new  wing  was  probably  then  erected, 
with  a  kitchen  on  the  first  floor,  and  the  old  kitchen  was  allowed  to 
remain  unaltered.  This  also  explains  the  singular  arched  recess  between 
the  two  buildings,  shown  on  the  View  and  Plan.  The  charter  referred 


FIG.  208.— Bridge  Castle.     View  from  North- West. 


to  likewise  gives  a  reason  for  the  presence  of  the  Sinclair  arms  (see 
Fig.  208)  over  the  doorway  at  A,  as  about  to  be  mentioned.  In  these 
arms  the  cross  of  the  St.  Clair  is  quite  distinct,  but  successive  layers 
of  whitewash  make  it  difficult  to  determine  whether  there  are  marks  of 
cadency  on  it  or  not.  Previous  to  the  above  date  the  barony  of  Ogilface 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    278   -  LORDSCAIRNIE   CASTLE 

was  parcelled  out  into  various  lots,  and  the  parties  from  whom  the  earl 
received  his  charter  were  "  Alexander  Stewart  of  Scottistounhill,  and 
Elizabeth  Hammyltoun  his  wife,  freeholders,  and  James  Stewart,  their 
eldest  sou  and  apparent  heir,  and  Helen  Sinclare  his  wife,"  &c.,  &c. 
Amongst  the  lands  conveyed  was  part  of  the  lands  of  Ogilface,  called 
"Little  Brighouse,  with  the  fortalice  and  wards." 

The  fortalice,  as  above  mentioned,  was  in  all  likelihood  the  larger 
block,  which  was  probably  built  by  James  Stewart  and  his  wife  Helen 
Sinclair  during  the  lifetime  of  his  father.  At  all  events,  this  would 
account  for  the  Sinclair  arms  being  here. 

William,  Earl  of  Linlithgow,  was  evidently  interested  in  the  place,  and 
wished  to  buy  back  the  dismembered  lands,  as  in  1591  he  again  purchased 
various  portions  of  the  barony.  It  seems  very  likely  that  he  then  enlarged 
the  castle  so  as  to  make  it  a  place  of  occasional  retirement,  for  he  was 
custodier  of  Linlithgow  Palace,  about  three  miles  distant,  where  he  had  an 
official  residence. 

The  older  part  of  the  structure  probably  dates  from  the  earlier  half  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  and  is  a  specimen  of  towards  the  end  of  the  Third 
Period. 


LORDSCAIRNIE  CASTLE,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  large  simple  keep  of  the  Third  Period,  which  stands  on  level  low- 
lying  ground  in  the  middle  of  the  hills  about  three  miles  north  of  Cupar. 


FIG.  209.— Lordscairnie  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

The  site  on  which  it  is  built  rises  slightly  above  the  general  level  of 
the  ground  around,  which  was  clearly  a  marsh  in  former  times,  but  has 
now  been  drained. 

The  structure  (Fig.  209)  is  55  feet  in  length  by  34  feet  wide,  with  a 
projecting  tower  at  the  north-west  angle  containing  the  entrance  door- 


LORDSCAIRNIE   CASTLE 


—    279    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


way  and  staircase.  The  walls  are  about  6  feet  in  thickness,  and  the 
whole  building  is  very  substantially  though  plainly  constructed.  The 
ground  floor  has  contained  the  usual  vaulted  cellars,  but  the  vaults  are 
now  demolished.  The  first  floor  was  occupied  with  the  great  hall,  42  feet 
long  by  21  feet  wide.  It  was  lighted  by  windows  on  three  sides,  all 
formed  with  deep  square  arched  ingoings,  which  probably  contained 
stone  seats,  and  the  fireplace  is  in  the  south  side  wall.  Above  this 
there  were  two  floors,  which  no  doubt  contained  bedrooms ;  but  the 
interior  is  now  entirely  gutted. 


Fro.  210. — Lordscairnie  Castle.     View  from  North-East. 

At  the  south-east  angle  (Fig.  210)  the  corbelling  of  a  corner  bartizan 
still  exists,  and  two  bold  corbels  are  still  visible  at  the  top  of  the  tower 
over  the  doorway,  which  they  protected  with  a  machicolation.  At 
a  short  distance  from  the  north-east  angle  are  the  remains  of  a  circular 
tower,  which  doubtless  formed  part  of  the  fortifications  of  the  wall  which 
formerly  enclosed  the  courtyard.  The  whole  edifice  is  a  good  example  of 
the  simple  and  massive  structures  erected  in  the  fifteenth  century.  This 
castle  belonged  to,  and  was  probably  erected  in  the  middle  of  that  century 
by,  Alexander,  fourth  Earl  of  Crawford— known  as  "  Earl  Beardie,"  or 
the  "  Tiger  Earl,"  from  his  personal  appearance  and  fierce  disposition. 

The  great  hall  was  fitted  up  and  used  as  a  church  by  'the  parish 
minister  of  Moonzie,  when  he  was  ejected  from  the  parish  church  at 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  280  — 


STANELY    CASTLE 


the  Revolution.  Since  that  time  it  has  been  allowed  to  fall  into  ruin, 
but  the  solid  walls  have  as  yet  resisted  the  elements,  and  the  various 
efforts  which  have  been  made  to  pull  it  to  pieces. 


STANELY  CASTLE,  RENFREWSHIRE. 

This  structure  now  stands  on  a  peninsula  in  the  reservoir  of  the  Paisley 
Water  Works,  about  two  miles  south  of  the  town.     The  site  was  no  doubt 


FIG.  211.— Staiiely  Castle.     Block  Plan. 


originally  protected  by  a  marsh.  The  castle  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  211), 
and  the  exterior  walls  are  well  preserved,  but  the  interior  is  entirely 
gutted.  The  doorway  is,  as  usual,  in  the  re-entering  angle  (Fig.  212), 


Fie.  212. — Stanely  Castle.     View  from  South- East. 


and  the  ground  floor  is  pierced  with  several  loops,  which  have  an 
ancient  appearance,  being  formed  with  a  circular  eyelet  at  the  lower 
end  (Fig.  213).  The  walls  are  built  with  coursed  work,  and  the  parapet 


STANELY   CASTLE 


—  281  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


has  run  round  the  whole  castle,  with  corbelled  bartizans  at  the  angles. 
A  similar  bartizan  is  also  introduced  over  the  entrance  doorway,  with  a 
machicolation  for  its  defence  (see  enlarged  View,  Fig.  214). 


FIG.  213.— Slanely  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

The  corbelling  of  the  parapet  is  continuous,  a  form  occasionally  used 
in  the  West — as,  for  instance,  at  Law  Castle,  Brodick  Castle,  and  others. 

The  castle  and  barony  of  Stanely  or  Stainly  belonged  in  the  fourteenth 
century  to  the  Danzielstons  of  that  ilk,  and  passed  by  marriage  to 
Maxwell  of  Calderwood,  and  through  them  in  the  fifteenth  century  to 


FIG.  214. — Stanely  Castle.    Machicolation  over  Doorway. 

the  Maxwells  of  Newark.     In  1629  the  estate  was  sold  to  Lady  Ross,  and 
is  now  the  property  of  the  Earl  of  Glasgow.*     The  castle  was  no  doubt 
built  by  the  Maxwells  in  the  fifteenth  century.     Close  by  is  an  interesting 
standing  stone  set  in  a  broad  socket  (see  Fig.  213). 
*  Crawford's  Renfrewshire,  p.  89. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  282 


INVERQUHARITY    CASTLE 


INVERQUHARITY   CASTLE,*  FORFARSHIRE. 

This  castle  is  situated  three  and  a  half  miles  north-east  of  the  town  of 
Kirrieniuir.  It  stands  on  the  edge  of  a  steep  bank  rising  about  30  feet 
from  the  Carity  Burn,  which  joins  the  South  Esk  about  one  mile  further 
down. 

The  castle  has  been  of  the  L  shape  of  plan,  but  the  eastern  wing  is 
almost  entirely  gone,  having  been  demolished  that  the  materials  might 


FIG.  215.— Inverquharity  Castle.    Plans  and  Section. 

be  used  in  building  the  old  farm-steading  of  Inverquharity.  The  entrance 
door  is  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  main  block,  with  a  circular  stair 
adjoining  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall. 

The  existing  block  (Fig.  215)  measures  45  feet  long  by  33  feet  wide,  with 
walls  7  feet  6  inches  thick.  It  is  in  good  preservation,  and  has  been 
built  of  fine  dressed  ashlar  inside  and  out. 

The  castle  is  of  great  strength,  and  contains  two  vaulted  floors  (see 
Section,  Fig.  215).  The  lower  vault  has  an  intermediate  floor  constructed 

*  For  the  Plans  and  description  of  this  castle  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  George 
G.  Milne,  architect. 


INVERQUHARITY    CASTLE  —    283    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

of  timber,  which  still  exists,  and  the  joisting  is  supported  by  stone  corbels. 
The  lower  room  was  probably  used  for  sheltering  cattle  in  at  night,  when 
any  apprehension  of  a  visit  from  lawless  Highland  neighbours  was  antici- 
pated. The  herds  and  servants  usually  found  their  accommodation  in  the 
loft  in  the  vault.  These  two  rooms  are  very  feebly  lighted  with  narrow 
slits,  having  wide  arched  recesses  inside. 

The  great  hall  over  the  first  vault  is  reached  in  a  peculiar  way.  The 
ascent  is  partly  by  the  wheel-stair  already  referred  to,  off  which  runs 
a  straight  stair  in  a  narrow  passage,  which  is  continued  in  the  thickness 
of  the  side  and  end  walls  for  a  distance  of  about  21  feet,  till  the  hall  door 
is  reached.  Usually  the  hall  enters  directly  from  the  stair,  and  the  only 
apparent  object  in  having  this  winding  passage  is  to  complicate  the 
entrance,  and  thus  add  to  the  security  of  the  house. 

The  hall  is  a  very  fine  chamber,  measuring  about  30  feet  in  length  by 
19  feet  in  width,  and  21  feet  to  the  apex  of  the  vaulted  roof.  It  is 
lighted  by  two  arched  windows  in  the  east  and  west  walls,  having  stone 
seats  in  the  ingoings  ;  and  at  the  south  end  there  is  a  fine  arched  and 
moulded  fireplace,  having  a  high  window  over  it.  This  window  probably 
lighted  an  upper  floor  in  the  vault  over  the  hall,  as  at  Craigmillar 
and  Castle  Campbell.  In  the  west  wall  of  the  hall  there  is  a  dark  mural 
chamber,  measuring  about  11  feet  by  5  feet,  which  doubtless  would  be 
used  as  a  sleeping  place. 

In  the  north-west  corner  of  the  great  hall  a  remarkable  and  unusual 
arrangement  occurs.  This  consists  of  a  stone  porch  projecting  into  the 
hall  and  entering  from  it,  from  which  a  few  steps  lead  down  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall,  and  terminate  in  a  window  at  a  lower  level.  It 
is  difficult  to  conjecture  what  this  place  was  used  for  ;  it  cannot  have  been 
a  hiding-place,  as  the  porch  makes  it  too  conspicuous,  nor  could  it  have 
been  a  prison  as  the  place  is  so  small ;  possibly  it  was  the  upper  part  of  a 
stair  to  the  basement  now  altered. 

The  kitchen  was  probably  in  the  demolished  wing  on  the  level  of  the 
hall  floor,  as  what  seems  to  have  been  a  service  window  still  exists  in  the 
wall  between  the  hall  and  the  demolished  wing.  Above  the  vault  of  the 
hall  is  the  attic,  with  the  original  timber  roof  still  entire.  It  is  well 
lighted,  and  has  two  fireplaces  with  bead  mouldings,  and  each  contains 
a  small  ambry.  There  being  two  fireplaces,  it  is  probable  that  this  floor 
was  divided  into  two  bedrooms,  in  each  of  which  was  a  peculiar  low-roofed 
mural  recess  on  the  floor  level,  which  was  probably  a  garde-robe.  Access 
is  obtained  round  the  top  of  the  castle  by  a  wide  battlement  walk  or 
allure.  The  walk  is  paved  with  stones  overlapping  each  other,  and 
sloping  towards  the  parapet,  so  as  to  carry  the  rain  water  to  the  stone 
gargoyles.  There  are  wide  machicolations  between  the  large  corbels  over 
the  doorway  (Fig.  216),  through  which  missiles  could  be  dropped  on  parties 
attempting  an  entrance;  and  the  angles  of  the  battlements  have  fine 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    284    — 


INVERQUHARITY    CASTLE 


projecting  circular  stone  bartizans.  The  whole  is  a  very  perfect  example 
of  a  crenellated  parapet.  By  walking  round  the  battlements  a  capehouse, 
which  is  seen  conspicuously  in  the  view  over  the  staircase,  is  reached. 
This  capehouse  is  ornamented  with  gabled  crow-steps,  each  step  being 


FIG.  216. — Inverquharity  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

finished  with  a  gablet  in  a  manner  not  frequently  seen  in  Scotland,  except 
in  churches.  Probably  most  of  the  examples  of  this  kind  of  gablet  are  to 
be  found  in  this,  the  eastern  central  district  of  Scotland,  such  as  at  Farnell 
and  Mains  Castle,  and  some  of  the  domestic  buildings  at  Arbroath. 

The  entrance  doorway,  which  has  a  pointed  arch,  is  furnished  with  an 


BRODICK    CASTLE 


—  285  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


iron  yett,  constructed  on  the  usual  principles,  with  upright  and  horizontal 
bars  going  through  each  other,  the  mode  of  intersection  being  reversed  in 
the  opposite  quarters.  For  the  erection  of  these  yetts  special  licences 
were  granted  by  the  king.  The  licence  for  this  one  is  still  in  existence, 
and  has  been  printed  by  Mr.  Jervise  in  the  Memorials  of  Angus  and  the 
Mearns,  p.  17.  It  was  granted  by  James  n.  in  the  year  1444,  and  is 
entitled,  "  Rex — A  Licence  be  the  King  to  Al.  Ogilvy  of  Inercarity 
(second  baron),  to  fortifie  his  house  and  put  ane  iron  yet  therein." 

This  castle  belonged  to  a  branch  of  the  Ogilvies  from  1420  till  the  end 
of  last  century.  They  received  a  baronetcy  in  1626,  and  many  of  the 
representatives  were  distinguished  in  local  history.  The  castle  is  in  the 
style  of  the  Third  Period. 


BRODICK   CASTLE,   BUTESHIRE. 

This  well-known   castle,  the  residence  of  the  Duke  of  Hamilton  in 
Arran,  is  situated  on  high  ground  overlooking  the  bay  and  village  of 


Fio.  217.— Brodick  Castle.    View  from  Soutli-East. 

Brodick.     A  large  modern  addition,  which  is  seen  in  the  distance  on  the 
left  of  the  views  (Figs.  217  and  218),  has  been  erected  at  the  west  of  the 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  286  — 


BRODICK    CASTLE 


BRODICK    CASTLE 


—  287  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


ancient  structure.     From  the  above  views  it  will  also  be  seen  that  the  old 
part  of  the  castle  consists  of  several  different  divisions.     There  are  first 


PLAN         OF        GROUND        TLOOR 


Fio.  219.— Brodick  Castle.    Plans. 


the  irregular  towers  at  the  east  end,  and  about  one  half  of  the  main 
oblong  building  adjoining ;  second,  the  western  part  of  the  latter  block  ; 
and  third,  the  battery  to  the  east.  It  will  be  observed  (see  Fig.  218) 


I 


THIRD  PERIOD  —  288  -  BRODICK  CASTLE 

that  the  parapet  at  the  top  of  the  main  building  changes  in  design  about 
the  centre,  and  that  the  levels  of  the  windows  are  different  in  the  east  and 
west  divisions.  In  a  line  down  from  the  point  where  the  change  of 
parapets  occurs  a  joint  is  traceable  in  the  masonry.  The  change  of  design 
is  also  clearly  shown  on  the  plan  of  the  battlements  (Fig.  219). 

In  the  modern  arrangement  of  the  castle  the  entrance  is  in  the  new 
buildings  at  the  west  end.  In  the  olden  time  the  entrance  was  at  the 
east  end,  as  shown  on  the  Ground  Floor  Plan  (see  Fig.  219)  and  View 
(see  Fig.  217).  The  entrance  was  approached  by  a  flight  of  seven  or  eight 
steps,  which  led  into  a  porch  in  the  later  erection  connected  with  the 
battery.  At  the  foot  of  the  steps  the  "  louping-on  stone  "  still  exists. 

These  various  groups  of  buildings  are  evidently  all  of  different  ages, 
the  battery  being  probably  of  the  seventeenth  century ;  the  high  east 
tower  with  its  staircase  is  not  later  than  the  beginning  of  that  century ; 
while  the  circular  part  of  the  stair  tower  in  the  angle  and  the  lower  part 
of  the  main  walls  (with  the  battery)  may  belong  to  a  much  earlier  struc- 
ture, the  upper  part  of  the  walls,  with  the  windows,  parapets,  and  gables, 
being  apparently  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  ground  floor  is  arched,  and  some  of  the  doorways  in  the  passage 
and  the  vaulting  of  the  east  tower  on  the  upper  floor  are  pointed.  The 
kitchen,  owing  to  the  natural  fall  of  the  ground  towards  the  west,  has  a 
very  lofty  ceiling,  and  a  series  of  steps  leads  down  to  this  part  of  the 
castle.  Two  wheel-stairs,  the  grouping  of  which  on  the  exterior  has  such 
a  picturesque  appearance,  gave  access  to  the  upper  floors,  and  are  con- 
nected with  each  other. 

There  are  various  new  buildings  along  the  north  side  and  adjoining 
the  eastern  tower,  which  are  partly  shown  in  outline  on  the  Plan.  The 
steps  into  the  top  story  of  this  tower  descend  from  the  passage  on  the 
level  of  the  stair  landing.  It  is  a  lofty  apartment  with  a  pointed  arch, 
and  opening  from  it  up  two  steps  there  is  a  curious  mural  closet. 

The  battlement  walk  is  open  all  round  (except  where  the  new  castle 
joins  at  the  west  end),  as  will  be  seen  on  the  plan  of  the  battlements. 
This  also  shows  the  usual  capehouse  at  the  top  of  the  stair,  and  another 
capehouse  or  watch-house  adjoining  it  and  entering  from  it. 

The  battery  at  the  east  end  contains  an  arched  chamber  on  the  ground 
floor,  with  very  thick  walls,  except  the  front  or  south  wall,  which  is  only 
4  feet  6  inches  thick.  It  was  probably  so  made  because  the  ground  slopes 
very  rapidly  in  front  down  to  the  sea,  and  the  possibility  of  the  battery 
being  attacked  on  that  side  was  not  entertained.  The  side  most  open  to 
attack  was  the  east,  where  the  wall  is  constructed  of  great  thickness,  and 
is  angled  off  as  shown  on  the  Plan.  A  wheel-stair  opposite  the  entrance 
door  leads  up  to  the  battery,  which  was  an  open  platform  with  a  parapet 
wall  looped  for  guns.  Near  the  corner  of  the  main  castle  there  is  one  of 
the  usual  widely-splayed  gun-holes. 


THOMASTON    CASTLE 


—    289    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


The  castle  contains  a  few  relics  of  feudal  life,  such  as  the  stocks  for 
fastening  the  legs  of  prisoners,  but  generally  the  internal  arrangements 
are  very  much  modernised. 

Brodick  has  been  a  place  of  importance  from  an  early  period.  It  is 
mentioned  in  these  words  by  Fordun,  writing  in  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 
century  :  "  Arran,  where  are  two  royal  castles,  Brethwyk  and  Lochransie." 
It  is  not,  however,  to  be  supposed  that  the  royal  castle  referred  to  is  the 
building  which  now  exists.  As  we  have  seen,  there  have  been  many 
upturnings  and  rebuildings  here,  and  probably  not  a  stone  of  Fordun's 
castle  remains. 

The  castle  of  Brodick  was  stormed  by  the  Earl  of  Ross  in  1455,  and 
according  to  the  New  Statistical  Account,  he  "levelled  it  to  the  ground." 
Again,  in  1544,  the  Earl  of  Lennox,  in  the  interest  of  Henry  vui.,  is  said 
to  have  demolished  the  castle;  and  in  1638-39,  it  was  put  into  a  state  of 
defence  by  the  Marquis  of  Hamilton  in  the  interest  of  Charles  i. 

These  partial  demolitions  and  reconstructions  have  doubtless  greatly 
modified  the  appearance  of  the  castle,  but  it  is  most  probable  that  the 
main  structure  dates  from  about  1500. 


THOMASTON   CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

A  well-preserved  ruin,   situated  near  the  southern  entrance  to  the 
grounds  of  Colzean  Castle  and  about  a  mile  from  Kirk  Oswald. 


Fio.  220.— Thomaston  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

This  castle  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  a  nephew  of  King  Robert  the 
Bruce,  but  it  is  clearly  of  a  much  later  date.     The  lands  of  Thomaston 

T 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    290   — 


THOMASTON    CASTLE 


doubtless  belonged  to  Bruce's  nephew,  and  he  may  possibly  have  erected 
a  keep  thereon,  but  the  present  structure  is  of  a  form  of  plan,  and  the 
external  features  are  of  a  design,  which  belong  to  the  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  About  that  date  the  family  of  Gorry  of  Kelwood 
became  the  proprietors,  and  the  castle  was  most  likely  built  by  them. 
Their  earliest  charter  is  one  to  Thomas  Corry  by  James  iv.  in  1507. 
Several  other  charters  to  his  successors  of  the  same  family  exist,  extending 
till  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  the  estate  passed,  prob- 
ably by  marriage,  to  the  M'llvanes  of  Grimmet,  who  remained  in  posses- 
sion till  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  edifice  continued  to 
be  inhabited  up  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.* 


FIG.  221.—  Thomaston  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

The  structure  (Fig.  220)  is  of  the  L  form,  with  a  staircase  tower  in. 
the  re-entering  angle.  There  seems  to  have  been  a  courtyard  on  the  south 
side  of  the  castle,  with  buildings  running  south  from  the  south-east  wing. 
In  consequence  of  this  arrangement  the  entrance  to  the  courtyard  was 
formed  by  an  arched  passage  under  the  south  end  of  the  wing,  as  shown 
by  dotted  lines  on  the  Plan.  The  inner  opening  of  this  passage  is  also 
seen  in  Fig,  221.  The  entrance  doorway  to  the  main  building  is  in  the 
western  side  of  the  central  tower,  in  which  a  circular  stair  led  to  the 
upper  floors  and  the  battlements. 

*  Paterson's  Ayr  and  Wigton.,  Vol.  u.  pp.  352-56. 


DENMILNE    CASTLE  -    291    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

The  basement  floor  contains  four  vaulted  cellars  in  the  main  building 
and  one  in  the  wing,  very  much  filled  up  with  rubbish.  One  of  these  was 
probably  the  kitchen.  The  first  floor  seems  to  have  been  divided  into  a 
hall  and  private  room  in  the  main  block,  and  a  bedroom  in  the  wing.  A 
carefully  constructed  wall-chamber  still  exists  at  the  north-west  angle,  and 
the  private  stair  to  the  wine  cellar  is  visible  in  the  south-west  angle  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall.  The  upper  floor  no  doubt  contained  a  number  of 
bedrooms,  and  there  was  probably  an  attic  story  in  the  roof. 

A  parapet  supported  on  three  rows  of  continuous  corbelling  surrounds 
the  building,  with  angle  turrets  at  all  the  corners  supported  on  similar 
corbels— features  which  recall  castles  of  the  same  date  in  the  West,  such 
as  Law,  Stanely,  &c. 

Thomaston  has  been  a  castle  of  some  size  and  importance.  The  main 
block  is  60  feet  long  by  28  feet  wide,  and  the  wing  is  22  feet  by  20  feet. 
The  structures  in  the  courtyard,  which  may  have  been  of  some  extent, 
have  now  entirely  disappeared.  A  door  leading  to  these  was  formed  in 
the  arched  entrance  passage  (see  Fig.  220). 

It  is  unfortunate  that  such  a  good  specimen  of  our  domestic  style  of 
the  sixteenth  century  should  have  been  allowed  to  fall  into  the  neglected 
and  semi-ruinous  state  in  which  it  now  is. 


DENMILNE  CASTLE,  FIFESHIRE. 

This  simple  castle,  which  stands  in  a  hollow  about  one  mile  south  of 
Newburgh,  has  been  added  to  by  a  back  wing,  which  gives  it  a  plan 
somewhat  of  an  L  form,  but  not  quite  in  keeping  with  the  ordinary 
shape.  The  interior  is  much  ruined,  but  still  retains  the  vaults  of  the 
ground  floor.  Externally  (Fig.  222),  the  building  shows  indications  of 
late  work  of  the  Third  Period  in  the  wide  shot-holes  of  the  basement, 
with  large  windows  on  the  upper  floors,  and  the  enriched  corbelling  of  the 
sixteenth  century. 

From  1452  the  estate  of  Denmiln  belonged  to  the  family  of  Balfour, 
having  been  given  by  James  n.  to  James  Balfour,  son  of  Sir  John  Balfour 
of  Balgarvy,  for  faithful  service.  Of  this  family  sprang  Sir  James 
Balfour,  a  celebrated  antiquary  and  friend  of  Drummond  of  Haw- 
thornden,  Dr.  Balfour,  and  other  distinguished  men. 

Dr.  Laing  says  of  this  venerable  structure  :*  "Denmiln  Castle  for  a 
generation  was  a  centre  of  learning  and  refinement,  the  resort  of  the 
most  eminent  in  literature  at  the  time,  and  the  meeting-place  of  all  who 
had  the  promotion  of  learning  and  the  intellectual  advancement  of 
Scotland  at  heart." 

*  History  of  Lindores  Abbey,  p.  372. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


__    292    — 


COURTYARD    PLANS 


FIG.  222.— Denmilne  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

This  and  other  simple  edifices  show  how  plain  and  frugal  was  the 
manner  of  life  in  Scotland,  even  amongst  the  most  advanced,  in  the 
seventeenth  century. 


COURTYARD    PLANS. 


These  are  the  castles  which  form  the  distinctive  edifices  of  this  period 
— such  fortresses  as  Craigmillar,  Doune,  Tantallon,  &c.,  with  structures 
erected  round  the  courtyards,  being  very  different  in  character  from  the 
simple  keeps  which  characterise  the  Second  Period. 

In  the  following  examples  some  have  been  originally  constructed  as 
Courtyard  Plans,  while  others  have  been  first  built  as  keeps,  and  extended 


«LENC!AHNOCK    CASTLE 


—    293 


THIRD    PERIOD 


into  courtyards  at  a  later  period.  It  will  be  observed  that  in  some  cases  the 
buildings  are  very  irregularly  and  capriciously  placed  round  the  enclosing 
walls,  while  in  others  the  quadrangular  idea  is  more  completely  worked 
out  and  perfected. 

We  commence,  as  usual,  with  the  castles  of  the  West,  and  follow  the 
same  topographical  arrangement  as  before. 


GLENGARNOCK  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

An  ancient  structure  with  a  keep  and  courtyard,  grandly  situated  in  a 
wild  ravine  among  the  hills  lying  to  the  north  of  Kilbirnie.     It  stands  on 


G  A  R  N  O   C  K 


FIG.  223.—  Gkngarnock  Castle.    Plan. 


the  extreme  edge  of  a  long  narrow  plateau,  the  sides  of  which  are  very 
steep,  and  in  places  quite  precipitous  beneath  the  walls  of  the  castle. 


THIRD    PKEIOD 


—    294 


GLENGARNOCK   CASTLE 


The  neck  on  the  east  side,  where  the  plateau  leaves  the  side  of  the  glen, 
has  been  cut  through  by  a  ditch,  strengthened  with  a  mound  on  the 
inside,  at  a  distance  of  about  seventy  paces  from  the  walls.  The  wild 
brawling  stream  of  the  Garnock  runs  round  the  west  end  of  the  plateau, 
through  a  rough  and  rocky  gorge,  which  effectually  defends  the  castle 
from  approach  on  that  side. 

The  remains  of  the  building  (Fig.  223),  which  are  considerable,  consist 
of  a  keep,  occupying  the  whole  length  of  the  western  extremity  of  the 
plateau,  and  irregular  structures  surrounding  a  courtyard,  with  an 
approach  on  the  east  side.  The  various  buildings  inside  the  curtain  walls 


FIG.  224. — Glengarnock  Castle.     View  from  North-East  Angle  of  Courtyard, 

are  all  now  in  a  state  of  ruin.  The  west  or  outer  wall  of  the  keep,  as 
well  as  the  south  wall,  with  part  of  the  north  wall,  are  entire  up  to  the 
height  of  a  string-course,  which  doubtless  supported  the  parapet  and 
battlements  (Fig.  224). 

The  keep  measures  about  45  feet  6  inches  from  north  to  south  by  35 
feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted,  and  has  no 
opening  in  any  of  the  three  walls  now  standing,  so  that  it  must  have  been 
very  dark.  The  hall  floor  is  likewise  vaulted,  and  is  of  great  height. 
There  has  not  apparently  been  any  upper  floor  in  this  vault,  but  it  is  too 
ruinous  to  enable  one  to  speak  positively  on  this  point.  The  entrance 
to  the  hall  floor  was  probably  by  a  high  door  in  the  north  wall,  and 


GLENGAKNOCK    CASTLE 


295 


THIKD    PERIOD 


Fie.  22£>. — Glengarnock  Castle. 
Caps  at  each  side  of  a  Fireplace. 


there  seems  to  have  been  a  wheel-stair  in  the  south-west  corner  leading  to 
the  top.  There  is  a  handsome  round  arched  window  in  the  west  wall  of 
the  hall,  overlooking  the  stream,  some  60  feet  or  so  beneath  ;  there  are 
also  two  narrow  windows  in  the  south  gable.  The  fireplace  must  have 
been  in  the  part  of  the  east  wall  next  the  courtyard,  now  destroyed. 
The  buildings  round  the  courtyard  have  been  at  least  two  stories  high, 
and  have  been,  like  the  whole  castle,  well  and  strongly  built.  A  curious 
fireplace  occurs  in  the  north  wall  of  the  front 
building.  The  jamb  mouldings  with  their 
capitals,  which  alone  exist,  the  lintel  or  arch 
being  gone,  do  not  correspond  in  design,  as  will 
be  seen  from  Sketch  (Fig.  225).  We  are  satisfied 
that  this  is  original,  and  that  the  fireplace,  which 
is  10  or  12  feet  above  the  ground,  has  not  been 
tampered  with. 

The  buttress-like  wall  jutting  outwards  at  right  angles  from  the  north 
boundary  wall  has  been  constructed  to  intercept  the  passage  of  any 
climber  attempting  the  castle  round  the  north  side.  The  postern  shown  a 
little  further  to  the  west  leads  out  to  the  steep  face  of  the  hill  side,  and 
may  probably  have  been  meant  for  a  secret  exit. 

The  building  marked  Kitchen  on  the  south  side  of  the  courtyard  is 
complete  on  the  ground  floor,  and  is  vaulted.  Its  low  doorway  at  the 
west  end  has  a  three-centred  arch,  2  feet  7  inches  wide,  and  a  bar-hole 
inside.  The  apartment  is  lighted  by  a  window  on  the  south  side,  at  a 
considerable  height  above  the  ground,  and  by  a  small  pointed  window 
(seen  in  View,  Fig.  224)  towards  the  courtyard.  Its  fireplace  is  a  neat 
arched  projecting  structure,  of  smaller  size  than  usual  in  kitchens.  At 
the  opposite  end  are  what  seem  to  be  the  remains  of  a  drain. 

The  present  gap  in  the  curtain  forming  the  entrance  is  wider  than  the 
original  entrance  gateway  ;  and  in  the  ingoing  of  the  north  side  of  the 
gap,  about  10  feet  above  the  ground,  there  exists  what  seems  to  have  been 
an  ambry,  like  those  seen  in  the  ingoings  of  windows,  thus  leading  to  the 
conclusion  that  buildings  existed  above  over  the  gateway.  The  ambry 
is  shown  by  white  lines  on  the  north  side  of  the  gap.  On  the  opposite 
side  there  exists  on  the  inside  the  commencement  of  an  arch  ;  and  it 
seems  highly  probable  that  there  has  been  an  arched  passage  or  pend 
leading  to  the  courtyard  with  apartments  over — as  at  Balvaird  and 
elsewhere. 

Glengarnock,  like  many  other  Scottish  castles  of  the  Third  Period,  is 
an  example  of  a  keep  with  a  courtyard  attached,  round  which  various 
buildings  have  gradually  accumulated.  The  courtyard  walls,  like  those  of 
Doune,  have  round  corbelled  turrets  at  the  angles,  shown  by  lines  on  the 
Plan.  These  have  perpendicular  openings  or  machicolations  (as  at  Saddell), 
meant  for  use  in  defence.  Glengarnock  has  thus  the  usual  characteristics 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    296    -  CRAIGIE   CASTLE 

of  the  castles  of  the  Third  Period.     It  is  certainly  not  a  thirteenth-century 
structure,  as  has  been  sometimes  stated. 

The  barony  of  Glengarnock  belonged,  at  the  end  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  to  the  family  of  Cuningham,  with  whom  it  remained  till  the  first 
quarter  of  the  seventeenth  century.  In  the  Scottish  Journal  of  Topography 
(Vol.  ii.  p.  89),  the  castle  is  said  "  to  have  been  abandoned  as  a  residence, 
and  shortly  afterwards  to  have  fallen  into  ruins,  early  in  the  last 
century."  The  same  authority  states  that  "  the  materials  for  building 
several  farm-houses  have  been  at  different  times  torn  from  the  structure," 
and  that  a  storm  in  1839  overthrew  the  missing  wall  of  the  keep. 


CRAIGIE   CASTLE,*   AYRSHIRE. 

The  ruins  of  this  once  extensive  castle  are  situated  about  five  miles 
south  from  ^ilmarnock,  on  the  south-western  slope  of  Craigie  Hill.  They 
stand  on  a  grassy  knoll  rising  out  of  a  plateau,  and  appear  to  have  been 
surrounded  by  a  ditch. 

It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  this  fine  specimen  of  Gothic  Castel- 
lated Architecture  should  have  been  allowed  to  fall  into  such  a  state  of 
ruin  as  it  now  presents,  for  it  undoubtedly  contained  one  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  a  vaulted  hall  to  be  found  in  Scotland.  Its  groined  arches 
are  quite  equal  to  any  of  those  in  our  abbeys  or  churches,  while  amongst 
castles  its  only  rivals  of  the  same  period  have  been  at  Tulliallan,  Both- 
well,  and  Auchendoun.  The  neighbouring  castle  of  Dundonald  also  con- 
tains a  ruined  vaulted  hall ;  but  there  the  vaulting  was  not  true  groining, 
as  pointed  out  in  the  notice  of  that  edifice,  but  the  spurious  kind  referred 
to  in  the  Introduction  to  this  volume. 

The  hall  (Fig.  226)  is  on  the  ground  floor,  and,  along  with  another 
extended  building,  has  divided  the  castle  into  two  equal  halves,  with 
an  eastern  and  western  courtyard.  It  measures  (Fig.  227)  about  46  feet 
from  east  to  west  by  21  feet  from  north  to  south,  and  the  vault  was  about 
25  feet  high  to  the  central  ridge  rib.  The  vaulting  is  divided  into  three 
bays  (Fig.  228),  and  the  ribs  spring  from  beautifully  carved  corbels  all 
of  different  design  (Figs.  229  and  230).  A  section  of  the  rib  mouldings  is 
given  in  Fig.  229,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  diagonal  ribs  differ 
from  the  transverse  ribs,  and  both  from  the  ridge  ribs.  The  hall  was 
lighted  by  three  windows  on  each  side,  placed  high  up  between  the  wall 
ribs.  These  windows,  although  extremely  simple,  have  a  very  striking 
and  massive  appearance.  They  are  small,  measuring  only  about  3  feet 
6  inches  high  by  about  14  inches  wide.  They  are  lintel  led  externally  and 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Railton  for  a  Plan  and  Section  of  Craigie  Castle,  which, 
along  with  our  own  measurements  and  sketches,  have  been  of  service  in  preparing 
the  various  drawings  accompanying  this  notice. 


CUAIUIK    CASTLE 


-    297    -  T1I1UD    PKUIOD 

V\\\\NMM  I  \  \\  \  '•  I  !  1 1  I  I  i  I   I  I  II  I  ' -11'  '  '   '    '   '  '  /''  '   •'  ''•'•'•. 


XHTRANCE 

,       ,      PEND 


FIG.  220.  -  Cruigic  Castle.    General  I'laii. 


Fio.  227.— Craigie  Castle.    Plan  of  Hall  (enlarged). 


THIRD    PERIOD 


_    298    — 


CRAIGIE    CASTLE 


splayed  towards  the  inner  face  of  the  wall,  till  they  reach  a  breadth  of 
nearly  8  feet,  where  they  are  arched  with  a  chamfered  semi-circle  rising 
from  a  corner  bead  or  nook  shaft,  finished  with  a  simple  moulded  cap. 
The  height  of  the  opening  on  the  inside  face  of  the  wall  is  about  10  feet. 
The  springing  of  the  arch  of  a  window  in  the  west  wall  still  exists,  but 
the  east  wall  is  entirely  gone  except  the  foundations.  The  ruined  fire- 
place is  near  the  south-east  corner  of  the  hall,  and  the  flue  is  carried  up 
in  the  centre  of  one  of  the  windows  just  described.  This  window  has 


Fia.  228.— Craigie  Castle.     Hal),  from  West. 

apparently  been  built  up  to  allow  the  flue  to  pass,  but  whether  this  is  an 
alteration  or  a  part  of  the  original  intention  is  not  clear  owing  to  the 
ruinous  condition  of  the  structure.  In  the  north  gable  there  is  a  round 
dungeon-like  vault,  measuring  about  11  feet  by  8  feet.  This  was  entered 
from  the  wheel-stair,  which  is  shown  by  a  circle  on  Plan,  as  having  existed 
at  the  north-east  corner.  Outside  the  south  gable  of  the  hall  there  appears 
to  have  been  a  continuation  of  the  keep  southwards,  as  indicated  by  the 
ruins  of  the  vaulted  apartment  shown  on  the  Plan.  The  total  length  of 


CRA1GIE    CASTLE 


—    299    — 


THIRD    PEHIOD 


this  block,  including  the  keep,  has  been  about  98  feet  from  north  to  south 
by  about  36  feet  in  width  over  the  walls. 

Above  the  vaulted  hall  there  was  an  apartment  of  the  same  size, 
lighted  with  side  arched  windows,  as  shown  in  the  internal  elevation  (Fig. 
231).  These  windows  had  stone  seats,  and  the  fireplace  was  in  the  north 
gable,  as  shown  by  one  of  its  jambs  which  still  remains  (see  Fig.  230). 


Fio.  229.— Craigie  Castle.    Details  of  Hall. 

This  upper  apartment  has  also  been  of  fine  construction,  but  it  is  now 
irrecoverably  gone. 

The  entrance  gateway  and  passage  into  the  castle  appear  to  have  been 
at  the  north-west  corner  and  along  a  roadway  outside  the  west  curtain 
wall.  At  the  gateway  there  was  probably  a  kind  of  entrance  pend  or 
arched  passage,  with  a  circular  tower  or  bastion  at  the  north  end.  Within 
the  enclosing  wall  was  a  courtyard  surrounded  by  buildings.  From  the 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    300    — 


CRAIGIE   CASTLK 


courtyard  there  was  an  entrance  door  into  the  great  hall,  which  is  now 
and  has  been  for  long  built  up.  The  other  courtyard  on  the  east  side  of 
the  great  hall  seems  to  be  quite  cut  off  from  the  one  just  referred  to  by 
the  keep.  It  has  had  various  enclosures  and  vaulted  chambers,  but  no 
definite  plan  can  now  be  made  out ;  possibly  an  enclosing  wall  surrounded 
the  castle  on  the  north  side  and  left  room  for  communication  round  the 
north  end  of  the  keep. 


FIG.  230.— Craigie  Castle.     Hall,  from  South. 

The  castle  evidently  dates  from  the  fifteenth  century,  although  it  is 
not  all  of  such  an  early  period.  There  is  a  wide-splayed  shot-hole  adjoin- 
ing the  entrance  passage  which  probably  indicates  work  of  the  following 
century. 

The  lands  of  Craigie  were  in  the  possession  of  the  Lindsays  from  an 
early  date.  About  the  year  1371  John  Wallace  of  Riccarton  married  the 
heiress  of  Craigie  and  obtained  the  property.  The  Wallaces  thereafter 
quartered  the  Lindsay  arms  with  their  own,  and  it  is  mentioned  in  local 
works  that  a  shield  bearing  that  quartering  is  built  into  the  wall  of  the 
farm  steading  of  Craigie  Mains,  near  the  castle. 


ARDROSSAN    CASTLK 


—  301  — 


TIIIKD    PERIOD 


1 


Fio.  231—  Craigie  Castle.     Section  of  Hall,  looking  East. 

The  Wallaces  are  said  to  have  resided  at  Craigie  till  1600,  when  they 
removed  to  the  castle  of  Newton-on-Ayr.  After  that  time  Craigie  seems 
to  have  been  allowed  to  fall  into  ruin. 


ARDROSSAN   CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

Only  a  few  fragments  remain  of  this  once  powerful  fortress  of  the 
Montgomeries.     The  lands  were  acquired  by  that  family  through  marriage 


Fio.  232.— Ardrossan  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


302    — 


ARDSTINCHAR    CASTLE 


about  1376.  The  ruins  stand  on  a  knoll  overlooking  the  town  and  railway 
station.  The  castle  is  said  to  have  been  destroyed  by  Cromwell,  and  there 
now  only  remain  (Figs.  232  and  233)  a  portion  of  one  tower,  a  vaulted 
kitchen,  and  two  cellars. 


FIG.  233.—  Ardrossan  Castle.    Plan. 

The  former  retains  a  few  corbels  of  the  parapet  and  the  jambs  of  a 
fireplace,  a  loophole,  &c.  These  and  other  details  indicate  a  date  probably 
in  the  fifteenth  century.  Various  alterations  have  evidently  been  made 
at  subsequent  times — windows  being  built  up  and  shot- holes  and  gargoyles 
introduced  into  them,  &c. 


ARDSTINCHAR   CASTLE,    AYRSHIRE. 

This  castle  was  the  seat  of  the  Kennedies,  lairds  of  Bargany.  Though 
now  reduced  to  a  fragment  of  the  keep  and  a  few  foundations  of  the  walls, 
it  was  once  a  place  of  some  extent  and  importance.  It  stands  close  to  the 
village  of  Ballantrae,  near  the  mouth  of  the  River  Stinchar,  on  a  rocky 
height  commanding  the  entrance  into  Carrick  from  the  south,  both  by  the 
coast  and  by  the  valley  of  the  Stinchar. 

The  Historie  of  the  Kennedyis  states  that  the  castle  was  built  by  Hugh 
Kennedy  in.  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century.  He  was  "  ane  secund 
broder  [of  Dunure]  quha  wes  first  putt  to  haue  bein  ane  Freir ;  bot  his 


ARDSTINCIIAR    CASTLE 


—  303  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


currage,  not  agreabill  to  sa 
base  ane  office,  lost  the  same, 
and  passitt  with  the  Laird 
of  Blaquhame  to  France,  to 
Chairllis  the  vii.,  in  the  yeir 
of  our  Lord  1431.  He  was 
callit  Freir  Hew,"  and  so 
pleased  the  King  of  France 
that  he  remained  with  him 
many  years,  accompanied  him 
to  the  Holy  Land,  and  re- 
ceived from  him  "in  recom- 
panse  of  his  seruice,  mony 
gritt  rewairdis  of  gold  and 
mony ;  and  abuiff  all,  he.  gaiff 
him  leiff  to  weir  airmis  quar- 
terly in  his  airmis,  to  wit, 
flour-de-lyse,  quhilk  that  hous 
weiris  to  this  day."  "  He 
com  to  Scotland,  and  bocht 
the  ten  pund  land  of  Arsten- 
sar,  and  buildit  the  house 
thairof,  and  conqueist  mony  ma 


Fin.  235.— Ardstinchar  Castle.     Keep,  from  South-East. 


FIG.  234.— Ardstinchar  Castle.     Keep,  from  North-East. 

landis,  be  the  benefeitt  ofi'  the  stipend  of 
the  King  of  France.  This 
Freir  Hewis  oy  wes  callit 
'  Com  with  the  penny,'  quha 
conqueist  the  grittest  pairt 
off  all  the  lewing,  quhilk  now 
is  ane  gritt  rent." 

The  castle  has  been  of  con- 
siderable extent,  the  buildings 
having  occupied  an  irregular 
platform  about  120  feet  from 
north  to  south  and  about  the 
same  from  east  to  west.  The 
outline  can  be  traced,  but 
the  structures  are  almost 
entirely  gone.  The  entrance 
gate  was  apparently  at  the 
north-west  angle,  and  the 
keep,  a  small  part  of  which 
only  now  exists  (Figs.  234 
and  235),  occupied  the 
highest  point  at  the  eastern 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    304    — 


ARDSTINCHAR    CASTLE 


angle.     The  corbels  of  the  parapet  are  the  only  details,  and  they  are  of 
the  simplest  pattern. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  a  deadly  feud  arose  between 
the  laird  of  Bargany  and  the  Earl  of  Cassillis,  in  consequence  of  which 


7 


FIG.  236.  —Kennedy  Monument,  Ballantrae. 


Bargany,  with  a  few  attendants,  while  returning  from  Ayr,  was  attacked 
by  the  earl  with  about  thirty  horsemen.  Bargany  was  wounded  and 
carried  to  Ayr,  where  he  died,  and  his  body  remained  in  a  leaden  coffin  in 
the  kirk.  Some  time  afterwards  (1605)  Lady  Bargany  died  also,  and  was 
laid  beside  her  husband  in  the  Kirk  of  Ayr.  The  funeral  of  both  being 


DUNGLASS    CASTLE 


—  305  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


resolved  on  "  in  the  new  kirk  of  Ballantry ;  quhilk  the  lady  had  caussitt 
build  for  hir  husband,  quhair  scho  had  gartt  sett  wp  ane  glorieous  towme," 
great  preparations  were  made,  and  the  funeral  was  attended  by  several 
earls  and  noblemen  and  about  a  thousand  gentlemen,  with  their  attendants. 
"  His  sister-sone,  young  Auchindrayne,  beirand  the  Banner  of  Rewendge, 
quhairin  was  payntitt  his  portratour,  with  all  his  wondis,  with  his  sone 
sittand  at  his  kneyis,  and  this  deattone  writtine  betuix  his  handis, 
'JUDGE  AND  RKWEXDGK  MY  CAUS,  o  LORD  ! '  and  sa  conwayit  to  Air  ;  bur 
all  werry  honourabilly,  to  the  number  off  ane  Thousand  horse,  of  Gentil- 
menne ;  and  layd  in  the  foirsaid  Tome." 

The  tomb  still  exists,  the  "  aisle  "  or  wing  built  by  Lady  Bargany 
having  been  preserved  when  the  rest  of  the  church  was  demolished,  about 
the  beginning  of  this  century. 

It  is  an  excellent  example  (Fig.  236)  of  the  "  glorious  tombs  "  which  it 
was  the  fashion  to  erect  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  of  which  several 
examples  are  given  further  on.  This  aisle  and  tomb  still  constitute  the 
last  resting-place  of  the  descendants  of  the  ancient  family  of  the  Kennedies 
of  Bargany. 


DUNGLASS  CASTLE,  DUMBARTONSHIRE. 

This  fragmentary  castle  stands  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Bowling, 
on  an  irregular  rocky  cliff  washed  by  the  River  Clyde,  near  the  point 
where  the  broader  estuary  narrows  into  the  river. 


"I    I    I    I  Kv- 

Fio.  237.-  -Dunglass  Castle.    Plan. 
U 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    306    — 


DUNGLASS    CASTLE 


The  castle  has  suffered  a  great  amount  of  demolition  and  spoliation,  so 
that  now  only  a  very  imperfect  idea  can  be  formed  of  what  it  was  before 


FIG.  238.— Dunglass  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

1735,  when  the  Commissioners  of  Supply  made  an  order  for  using  it  as  a 

quarry  for  repairing  the  quay.  This  work  of 
destruction  was  only  stopped  when  the  place 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  Buchanan  of  Auchen- 
torlie. 

The  top  of  the  cliff  was  enclosed  with 
a  high  wall,  of  which  the  portions  shaded 
black  on  the  Plan  (Fig.  237)  still  remain, 
mixed  up  in  parts  with  modern  work.  The 
most  considerable  portions  now  existing  are 
the  south  and  west  walls,  against  which 
buildings  were  formerly  erected,  as  is 
apparent  from  the  small  windows  in  these 
walls  (Fig.  238).  At  the  outside  of  the 
south  wall,  near  its  west  end,  there  is  a 
small  landing-place  from  the  river.  This 
appears  to  have  been  protected  by  a  hoard- 
ing in  the  castle  wall,  some  of  the  corbels 
for  which  still  remain.  Over  the  door  in 
this  wall  are  the  remains  of  a  row  of  corbels, 
round  the  walls  or  a  considerable  part  of  them 


FIG.  239.— Dunglass  Castle. 
North-West  Turret. 


These   probably  ran 
(see  Fig.  238). 


DUNGLASS   CASTLE 


—    307    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


' 


FIG.  240.— Dunglass  Castle.    Tower. 


Two  corbels  occur  at  the  small  break  in  the  projecting  part  of  the  south 

front.     They  are  only  a  few  feet  above  the  rock,  and  are  quite  accessible. 

Being  on  the  outside  of  the  castle,  they  appear  as  if  they  would  be  useful 

to  the  enemy  rather  than  to  the  in- 
mates.      But    these   corbels   probably 

supported  the  flue  of  a  garde-robe  or 

other  structure  now  removed. 

At   the  north-west  corner  of   the 

enclosure   a   dwelling-house   has   been 

erected.     It  is  partly  old,  but  mostly 

modern.     The  north-west  turret,  with 

its    chequered    corbelling   (Fig.    239), 

indicated  by  dotted  lines  on  the  Plan, 

gives   an   idea    of    what    its   features 

have   been ;    but   the  interior  of   the 

house  is  entirely  modern.     There  are 

no    other    ancient    details   about    the 

structure  except  the  gateway  in  the 

north  wall,   with   some   narrow   slits, 

all  adjoining  the  house. 

The  round  tower  (shown  on  Plan 

and  by  Fig.  240)  is  probably  of  the  seventeenth  century.     It  appears  to 

have   been  a  pigeon-house.      The  north-east   corner,   where  the  obelisk 

stands  to  the  memory  of  Henry  Bell,  is  considerably  the  highest  part  of 

the  enclosure. 

Dunglass  was  the  chief  stronghold 
of  the  barony  of  Colquhoun.  From 
1439  to  1478  the  castle  was  occupied 
by  Sir  J.  Colquhoun,  Chamberlain  of 
Scotland.  In  1480  Lady  Luss  had  a 
liferent  of  the  lands  and  fortress,  and 
was  bound  to  keep  the  latter  in  good 
repair.  The  letters  V.  C.  are  said  to 
have  been  carved  over  one  of  the  door- 
ways, and  they  are  believed  to  repre- 

Fio.  241.-Dunglass  Castle.    Colquhoun  Arms.   Sent    Humphrey    Colquhoun    of    Luss, 

who  was  treacherously  slain  at  Ban- 

nachra  in  1592,*  and  by  whom  the  more  modern  house  is  believed  to 
have  been  erected. 

On  the  corbel  of  the  north-west  turret  (Fig.  241)  there  is  a  rude 
carving  of  the  Colquhoun  arms — a  saltier  impaled — with  the  letter  C. 
alongside,  and  a  face  rudely  carved  on  a  shield.  , 

*  Irving's  Dumbartonshire. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  308  — 


MUGDOCK    CASTLE 


MUGDOCK  CASTLE,*  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

This  ancient  castle,  the  home  of  the  Grahams,  and  the  probable  birth- 
place of  the  great  Montrose,  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Strathblane, 
about  seven  miles  north  from  Glasgow.  It  is  now  in  a  very  fragmentary 
condition,  but  from  what  remains  one  can  see  that  it  has  been  a  large 
and  important  fortress.  It  stands  in  an  upland  district  on  the  west  side 
of  Mugdock  Loch  (Fig.  242),  a  small  sheet  of  water  covering  less  than 
fifty  acres,  but  which  has  evidently  been  at  some  former  period  of  greater 
extent  than  it  is  now. 


Fio.  242.—  Mugdock  Castle.    Plan. 

The  ground  around  the  castle  is  very  irregular.  From  the  chapel  to 
the  south  tower  (Fig.  243),  a  distance  of  about  320  feet,  there  runs  a 
fairly  level  ridge,  with  a  steep  bank  sloping  down  from  the  north  side  of 
the  chapel  to  the  old  level  of  the  loch.  From  this  point  the  ridge  bends 
round  towards  the  east  and  south  for  about  200  yards,  in  the  form  of  a 
peninsula,  so  that  one  half  of  the  castle  bounds  (on  the  north  and  east) 
was  protected  by  water  ;  while  the  remaining  half,  which  along  the  south 
side  lay  in  the  track  of  the  present  roadway,  was  doubtless  secured  round 
the  south  and  west  sides  by  a  ditch  with  a  rampart,  over  which  there 
was  probably  a  drawbridge  opposite  the  portcullis  gate. 

What  remains  of  the  castle  (see  Fig.  243)  comprises  part  of  the  north-west 
wall  of  enceinte,  with  a  square  tower  at  either  extremity  ;  portions  of  the 
south-west  wall,  with  the  jambs  of  the  portcullis  gate  ;  and  the  chapel  and 
other  buildings,  which  stand  detached  to  the  northwards.  Extending  from 

*  We  are  much  indebted  to  the  proprietor,  J.  Guthrie  Smith,  Esq.,  for  assistance 
in  preparing  the  Plan  and  notice  of  Mugdock. 


MUGDOCK   CASTLE 

the  flatter  southwards,   for  a 
distance  of  about  200  feet,  the 
foundations   of    a   wall   have 
been  traced  (as  shown  by  lines 
on     Plan),     while     scattered 
about  the  ground  in  various 
directions  fragmentary  pieces 
of  wall  have  at  different  times 
been  disclosed  ;  but  these  are 
not    in    sufficient    masses    to 
afford    much    additional     in- 
formation.    The  tower  at  the 
south-west    corner   is   almost 
entire.      It    is    an    irregular 
square  on  Plan,  of  about  24 
feet    in    diameter,    and    con- 
tained     four  •    stories.        It 
measures  59  feet    in    height 
at     the    south-west    corner, 
from  the  ground  to  the  top 
of    the    parapet    wall.       The 
first    floor   is   spanned    by   a 
vault     supported     on     broad 
splayed   ribs,   similar   to   the 
vault    at    Tester.       On    the 
ground  floor,  in  the  thickness 
of   the   wall,   and   up   a   few 
steps,  there  is  a  very  complete 
garde-robe,  having  no  visible 
outlet,    but    that    would    be 
without  doubt  to  the  ditch, 
and    may   probably   be    con- 
cealed by  a  bank  of  earth  and 
vegetation. 

The  entrance  doorway  was 
on  the  first  floor  (Fig.  244), 
and  was  originally  reached 
by  a  ladder  from  the  court- 
yard, there  being  no  internal 
communication  between  it  and 
the  ground  floor.  From  the 
first  floor  a  wheel-stair  in  the 
south-east  corner  gives  access 
to  the  second  floor,  at  the 


—  309  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


FIG.  243.— Mugdock  Castle.    Plan. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    310    — 


MUGDOCK    CASTLE 


level  of  which  the  wheel-stair  ends,  there  not  being  sufficient  thickness  of 
wall  above  to  accommodate  it. 

The  second  floor  is  on  the  same  level  as  the  top  of  the  wall  of 
enceinte  (Fig.  245)  ;  and  the  manner  in  which  the  latter  buts  against 
the  tower  gives  ample  thickness  for  such  a  stair  in  the  lower  stories. 
From  the  second  floor  upwards  a  straight  flight  of  steps  in  the  east  wall 
leads  to  the  top  of  the  tower,  where  the  battlements,  which  are  in  good 
preservation,  consist  of  a  high  parapet  wall  without  embrasures.  The 
roof  of  the  tower  is  modern,  but  is  exactly  of  the  same  form  as  the  old 
roof,  which  had  to  be  taken  off  a  few  years  ago  and  repaired.  This 


FIG.  244. — Mugdock  Castle.     Interior  of  Courtyard. 

tower  may  or  may  not  have  been  the  keep  of  the  castle.  It  is  quite 
likely  that  it  is  merely  one  of  the  mural  towers — of  which  there  were 
probably  several  round  the  enceinte — and  its  appearance  favours  this 
idea.  It  is  a  remarkably  interesting  example  of  good  workmanship,  with 
several  pointed  doors,  and  one  which  is  lintelled,  and  has  the  jambs 
curved  so  as  to  form  a  corbel  at  each  side  beneath  it.  The  other 
tower,  which  is  situated  at  a  distance  northwards  of  about  54  feet,  is 
very  ruinous,  only  the  vaulted  ground  floor  remaining.  It  also  enters  from 
the  courtyard,  and  the  ground  floor  has  had  no  communication  with  the 
floors  above. 

The  curtain  wall  between  these  towers  is  nearly  entire.     The  doorway 


MUGDOCK    CASTLE 


—  311  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


(see  Fig.  245),  adjoining  the  south  tower  and  passing  through  the  curtain, 
is  comparatively  modern.  This  curtain  wall  seems  to  have  received  against 
the  interior  a  large  apexed  roof,  the  triangular  form  of  which — evidently 
of  old  construction — can  be  seen  upon  the  wall  which  finishes  square 
above  the  roof. 

The  gateway,  which  is  8  feet  4|  inches  wide,  is  very  ruinous,  but  still 
retains  (as  shown  on  Plan)  the  rebates  for  outer  and  inner  folding  wooden 


FIG.  245.-  Mugdock  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

gates,  and  the  groove  for  a  central  portcullis.  Unfortunately  no  remains 
are  preserved  of  the  upper  chamber,  in  which  the  apparatus  for  working 
the  portcullis  would  be  placed.  About  30  feet  south-east  from  the  gate- 
way a  small  fragment  is  the  only  remaining  portion  of  this  wall  still 
existing  (see  Fig.  243). 

Of  the  chapel  (shown  on  the  Plan  and  referred  to  above)  not  much 
can  be  said,  as  all  the  stone  dressings  and  indications  of  ecclesiastical 
work  have  been  destroyed.  That  it  was  a  chapel  is  the  tradition  of 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    312    -  DALZELL    CASTLE 

the  district,  and  there  is  nothing  in  its  plan  which  contradicts  this  idea. 
It  measures  internally  40  feet  from  east  to  west  by  17  feet  3  inches  from 
north  to  south ;  and  although  the  walls  are  thin,  and  the  building  seem- 
ingly stands  outside  the  walls  of  enceinte,  it  resembles  in  these  respects 
the  chapels  of  Dunstaffnage  and  Skipness.  The  tower,  which  projects 
northwards  from  the  chapel,  seems  to  have  been  a  latrine,  the  termination 
of  two  large  flues  (now  filled  up),  such  as  are  usual  in  similar  buildings, 
being  visible  in  the  outside  gable  above  the  steep  bank. 

A  modern  mansion  has  been  built  in  the  centre  of  the  courtyard  by 
John  Guthrie  Smith,  Esq.  This  is  connected  on  the  first  floor  with  the 
old  tower  by  a  covered  passage  carried  on  a  bold  stone  arch,  so  that  the 
tower  now  forms  a  part  of  the  modern  mansion.  Its  preservation  is  thus 
secured,  and  all  the  other  parts  of  the  ruins  are  also  carefully  protected. 
The  portion  of  the  Plan  shown  by  hatched  lines  consists  of  a  row  of 
offices,  probably  dating  from  the  seventeenth  century. 

The  estate  and  castle  of  Mugdock  were  in  the  possession  of  the 
Grahams  from  early  in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  it  is  quite  possible 
that  the  existing  ruins  are  part  of  the  castle  referred  to  in  a  deed  signed 
in  1372  "  Apud  Manerium  de  Mugdok." 

A  more  modern  mansion  seems  to  have  been  erected,  as  frequently 
happened,  within  the  ancient  walls,  probably  in  the  sixteenth  or  seven- 
teenth century.  According  to  Mr.  J.  Guthrie  Smith,  it  is  stated  by 
Spaldmg  in  his  history*  that  in  1641,  when  Montrose  was  a  prisoner  in 
Edinburgh  Castle,  Lord  Sinclair,  by  direction  of  the  Committee  of  Estates, 
"  violently  brak  up  the  gates  and  doors  "  of  the  place  of  old  Montrose,  and 
that  they  also  demolished  his  " staitly  house  of  Mugdok"  Mr.  Smith 
observes  that  the  castle  "  was  only  partially  destroyed  at  this  time,  for 
the  earl  was  living  there  in  retirement  for  some  time  before  he  started  on 
his  famous  campaign  of  1644."  The  same  authority  tells  us  that  "the 
part  of  the  house  fronting  the  loch  and  one  of  the  towers  (the  northmost 
shown  on  Plan)  were  allowed  to  fall  into  ruins  after  they  were  harried  by 
the  Buchanans  in  1644."  Out  of  the  remains  of  this  harried  and  burnt 
mansion  a  nondescript  house  was  erected  in  1655  of  no  architectural 
interest,  with  which  a  vaulted  cellar  of  the  old  building  was  incorporated. 
It  was  used  as  a  dwelling-house  till  about  thirteen  years  ago,  when  it  was 
removed,  and  the  present  fine  mansion  erected  in  its  stead. 

DALZELL  CASTLE,f   LANARKSHIRE. 

The  residence  of  Lord  Hamilton  of  Dalzell,  situated  about  two  miles 
south  from  Motherwell.  The  site  of  the  castle  is  on  the  steep  bank  of  a 

*  History  of  the  Parish  of  Strathblane. 

t  We  are  much  indebted  to  Lord  Hamilton  of  Dalzell  for  his  kind  assistance  in 
the  preparation  of  this  description,  and  for  the  use  of  the  Plan  of  the  castle. 


DALZELL    CASTLE 


—    313 


THIRD    PEItlOD 


brawling  burn,  which  runs  in  a  deep  and  rocky  gorge  along  the  east  side 
of  the  building,  winding  round  the  south  side  a  little  further  off,  so  as  to 
leave  space  for  terraced  gardens  at  various  levels.  The  situation  of  the 
castle  is  very  charming  and  romantic,  the  varied  undulating  ground 
studded  with  ancient  trees,  and  the  wild  rocky  glen  formed  by  the  burn 
contrasting  with  the  majestic  sweep  of  the  Clyde,  which  flows  past  a  little 
to  the  southwards.  William  Cobbett,  who  visited  Dalzell  in  1832,  in 
describing  the  castle  and  surroundings,  says  that  it  is  the  place  at  which, 
if  he  were  compelled  to  reside  in  Scotland,  he  would  choose  to  live. 


!j 


Fio.  246.— Dalzell  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


The  buildings,  which  are  of  three  periods,  form  a  courtyard,  as  shown 
on  Plan  (Fig.  246),  where  the  part  tinted  black  indicates  the  keep,  occupy- 
ing the  centre  of  the  east  side.  This  is  the  most  ancient  portion  of  the 
structure,  and  is  doubtless  of  the  Third  Period,  probably  early  in  the  six- 
teenth century.  The  hatched  portions  extending  on  either  side  and  along 
the  south,  together  with  the  west  enclosing  wall,  show  the  portions  next 
erected  during  the  seventeenth  century ;  while  the  buildings  on,  the  north 
side,  shown  in  outline,  were  constructed  about  1857,  from  designs  by  the 
late  Mr.  R.  W.  Billings,  architect,  who  stayed  here  for  the  greater  part  of 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    314    — 


DALZELL    CASTLE 


three  years  superintending  and  working  with  his  own  hands  at  the  carrying 
out  of  these  and  other  extensive  alterations  then  effected  by  Lord  Hamil- 
ton. The  Plan  here  shown  is  a  reduced  copy  of  one  made  by  Mr.  Billings, 
portions  of  the  modern  buildings,  which  are  very  extensive,  being  omitted. 
The  original  castle,  as  we  have  seen,  was  well  defended  by  nature 
along  the  east  and  south  sides,  and  there  were  indications  of  a  moat  along 
the  west  side.  The  two  entrance  gateways  in  the  western  enclosing  wall, 
one  of  which  is  seen  in  Fig.  247,  were  originally  smaller  doorways. 


FIG.  247.— Dalzell  Castle.    View  from  West. 

They  are  represented  in  a  water-colour  view  of  the  castle  made  in  the 
early  part  of  the  century. 

The  keep  is  a  massive  structure,  measuring  about  39  feet  by  32  feet 
and  48  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the  parapet  on  the  east  side  next  the  burn 
(Fig.  248).  It  has  a  curious  and  unusual  projection  at  the  south-west 
angle,  like  the  flat  buttress  of  a  Norman  keep.  The  projection  is  2  feet 
9  inches  by  about  17  feet  in  breadth,  and  contained  in  the  centre  the 
original  entrance  doorway.  This  break  in  the  wall  does  not  go  to  the  top, 
and  was  probably  connected  with  the  defence  of  the  entrance.  Imme- 
diately inside  the  doorway  was  a  portcullis,  the  grooves  for  which  still 
remain,  and  there  was  probably  a  small  chamber  above  for  working  it. 


DALZELL    CASTLE 


315 


THIRD    PERIOD 


The  keep  consisted  of  a  vaulted  basement,  with  a  lofty  vaulted  hall 
above,  which  was  divided  into  two  stories,  having  carved  corbels  carrying 


Fio.  24S.— Ualzcll  Castle.    View  from  East. 


an  intermediate  timber  floor.  Above  this  was  another  story,  /with  wall- 
chambers  and  galleries ;  while  on  the  level  of  the  battlements  there  was 
the  usual  chamber  in  the  roof.  The  stair  from  the  entrance  passage 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    316    — 


DALZELL    CASTLE 


ascends  by  a  straight  flight  to  the  first  floor  in  the  thickness  of  the 
south  wall,  from  which  level  it  continues  to  the  top  in  a  wheel-stair 
in  the  south-east  corner  of  the  tower  (Fig.  249).  The  hall  floor  was 
also  entered  by  an  outside  door  in  the  north  wall  at  the  level  of  the 
first  floor,  10  or  12  feet  above  the  ground.  This  door  is  exactly  opposite 
the  lower  door,  but  a  story  higher,  and  was  approached,  previous  to 
Mr.  Billings'  alterations,  by  an  outside  stair.  It  was  without  doubt 
originally  reached  in  the  usual  manner  by  a  moveable  ladder,  the  outside 
stair  having  probably  been  constructed  at  the  time  of  the  extension  of 
the  castle. 

The  alterations  effected  on  the  keep  by  Mr.  Billings  consisted  in  form- 
ing a  new  principal  entrance  to  the  castle,  by  cutting  the  triangular-headed 


FIG.  249.  -Dalzell  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

doorway  (shown  on  Fig.  250)  through  the  west  wall  of  the  keep,  which  is 
about  7  feet  thick.  To  make  room  for  this  doorway,  Mr.  Billings  says  *  that 
a  two-inch  arrowlet  was  removed,  as  was  also  a  similar  one  in  the  opposite 
wall  to  admit  of  the  enlarged  window  shown  on  Plan.  He  further  men- 
tions that  "  the  loose  slaty  rock  and  tenacious  clay  of  the  dungeon  floor  was 
then  excavated  to  the  required  depth,  so  as  to  obtain  sufficient  height  of 
ceiling,  and  by  the  simple  and  comparatively  uncostly  means  adopted,  we 
at  once  obtained  our  object  of  access  and  communication,  combined  with 
a  highly  characteristic,  light,  and  roomy  hall  of  entrance."  "  In  excavating 
the  clay  from  the  dungeon  we  went  below  the  foundations,  and  under- 
*  See  Building  News,  1859,  p.  581. 


DALZELL    CASTLE 


—    317    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


building  became  necessary."  He  describes  the  foundation  as  being  in  a 
very  unsatisfactory  state.  "  By  the  unbroken,  sloping  surface  line  of 
clay,  which  is  fully  two  feet  lower  on  the  south  side  than  on  the  north, 


Fio.  250.—  Dalzell  Castle.    South-East  Angle  of  Courtyard. 

we  saw  clearly  that  the  massive  walls  had  been  simply  founded  on  the 
natural  surface  of  the  ground  without  the  slightest  attempt  at  bedding 
the  stones  on  a  level,  and  that,  instead  of  making  the  ground  flat,  the 
builders  had  brought  the  walls  to  a  horizontal  line  by  roughly  wedge- 


THIRD    PERIOD  318    -  DALZELL    CASTLE 

shaping  the  masonry.  The  whole  castle  had  thus  stood  for  centuries  on 
a  sloping  bank  of  clay,  with  moisture  enough  continually  passing  over  its 
face  to  have  slipped  the  whole  mass  at  any  moment." 

On  the  hall  floor  (see  Fig.  249) — now  the  dining-room — Mr.  Billings 
enlarged  the  windows,  put  in  a  new  fireplace,  took  out  the  intermediate 
floor,  and  pulled  forward  the  corbels  already  referred  to,  which  supported 
it,  in  order  to  make  them  serve  as  trusses  for  ribs  inserted  by  him  on  the 
under-surface  of  the  arch.  All  the  corbels  except  one  were  renewed. 
The  old  ones  (a  sketch  of  one  of  which  is  given,  Fig.  250)  were  built  into 
the  walls  of  the  terraced  gardens,  where  they  still  remain. 

There  is  a  singular  sculptured  figure,  with  outstretched  arms  and 
lolling  tongue,  in  low  relief  in  the  present  south  entrance  to  the  hall. 

The  gables  and  roof  of  the  keep,  with  the  capehouse  of  the  stair, 
were  restored  by  the  late  Mr.  Maitland  Wardrop,  architect,  before  Mr. 
Billings  appeared  on  the  scene. 

Although  Dalzell  has  always  continued  to  be  inhabited  by  the 
ancestors  of  Lord  Hamilton,  it  would  appear  that  it  had  become  partly 
ruinous,  when  the  seventeenth-century  additions  to  the  castle,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  courtyard,  were  undertaken.  These  present  some 
peculiarities  which  will  be  noticed  as  we  proceed. 

The  additions  referred  to  comprise  a  new  entrance  doorway  and  a 
large  wheel-stair  erected  against  the  south-west  corner  of  the  keep,  which 
coincide,  as  will  be  seen  on  Plan,  with  the  flat  buttress  projection. 
Behind  this  was  placed  a  new  vaulted  kitchen  with  a  large  fireplace, 
measuring  about  11  feet  by  6  feet  inside,  and  projecting  5  feet  externally, 
which  forms  a  very  picturesque  feature,  as  seen  from  the  opposite  side  of 
the  burn  (see  Fig.  248).  There  was  evidently  no  kitchen  in  the  original 
tower,  and,  as  often  happened,  this  was  one  of  the  first  additions  found 
necessary. 

Running  along  the  south  side  of  the  courtyard  are  various  lofty 
vaulted  cellars — the  chamber  at  the  extreme  end  being  a  second  kitchen 
of  about  twice  the  size  of  the  one  just  noticed,  or  23  feet  by  19  feet 
6  inches,  with  a  large  fireplace  in  the  thickness  of  the  west  wall,  and 
having  a  stone  conduit  for  the  supply  of  water  in  the  fireplace  (not  shown 
on  Mr.  Billings'  Plan).  Another  arched  conduit  exists  for  supplying 
water  from  the  courtyard. 

A  passage  leads  from  this  kitchen  to  a  vaulted  round  tower  at  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  castle  (see  Fig.  246).  This  portion  of  the  building 
was  supposed  by  Mr.  Billings  to  date  from  the  fourteenth  century,  and  to 
be  the  oldest  part  of  the  castle ;  but  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  a  period 
so  remote.  The  walls  are  not  of  the  massive  kind  found  in  structures  of 
that  date ;  and  in  the  castles  of  a  subsequent  date  it  is  invariably  found 
that  the  keep  is  the  nucleus  around  which  the  other  buildings  have 
gathered  in  the  course  of  successive  generations. 


DALZELL    CASTLK 


_    319    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


At  Dalzell  there  is  no  sufficient  reason  apparent  for  supposing  any 
other  order  of  events  to  have  occurred,  but  rather  the  reverse ;  and  this 
brings  us  to  the  peculiarities  just  referred  to,  which  seem  to  show  that 
this  kitchen  and  south-west  tower  are  rather  later  than  the  south-east 
part  of  the  addition  now  under  consideration.  In  the  middle  cellar  of 
this  wing  there  will  be  observed  on  the  Plan  projections  on  either  side, 
connected  with  dotted  lines  running  obliquely  across  the  room.  These 
details  indicate  the  remains  of  an  ancient  fireplace,  the  dotted  lines 
representing  its  arch.  This  fireplace  seems  to  have  belonged  to  a  room 
(probably  a  kitchen)  which  occupied  the  space  into  which  a  staircase  now 
penetrates,  and  has  been  altered  when  the  buildings  were  continued 
westwards.  It  is,  however,  possible  that  a  portion  of  the  west  gable 
of  the  newer  kitchen,  with  the  whole  of  the  west  enclosing  wall  (except 
where  altered  by  Mr.  Billings),  may  be  as  old  as  about  the  time  of  the 
erection  of  the  keep. 


Fio.  251. — Dalzell  Castle.    Shield  over  Window  of  Staircase. 

Owing  to  the  numerous  alterations  which  have  occurred,  the  various 
levels  at  the  junction  with  the  keep  are  different,  and  require  a  compli- 
cated arrangement  of  steps,  which  is  rather  puzzling  at  first  sight. 

On  the  first  floor  level  of  the  southern  wing  a  massive  wheel-stair  is 
boldly  projected  into  the  courtyard  upon  a  series  of  corbels,  and  rises  the 
full  height  of  the  wing  ;  it  is  crowned  with  a  pointed  roof  (see  Figs.  247 
and  250).  The  whole  of  the  first  floor  of  this  wing  has  been  modernised 
inside.  It  consists  of  the  drawing-room  and  ante-drawing-room,  with 
very  elaborate  plaster  ceilings,  wholly  the  work  of  Mr.  Billings,  and  done 
by  his  own  hands.  Most,  indeed,  of  the  new  ornamental  work  and  stone 
and  plaster  was  executed  by  him  personally. 

In  the  wall  of  the  library  there  is  a  small  ambry  about  5  feet  above 
the  floor,  and  measuring  2  feet  wide.  It  was  originally  protected  in  front 
by  wire  netting,  and  is  supposed  by  Lord  Hamilton  to  have  been  a  shrine 
for  holding  a  sacred  figure.  The  floors  above  this  added  wing  contain 
part  of  the  bedroom  accommodation  of  the  castle.  Over  one  of  the 
windows  of  the  large  staircase  adjoining  the  keep,  as  seen  in  Fig.  250,  and  in 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    320    BOGHALL    CASTLE 

the  enlarged  Sketch  (Fig.  251),  occur  the  initials,  twice  repeated,  I.  H., 
with  a  shield,  and  the  date  1649.  Fig.  252  shows 
the  tympanum  of  the  window  above. 

The  barony  of  Dalzell  was  in  the  possession  of  a 
family  of  that  name  from  the  end  of  the  thirteenth 
century  till  1647,  when  it  was  acquired  from  Lord 
Dalzell,  Earl  of  Carnwath,  by  James  Hamilton  of 
Boggs,  ancestor  of  the  present  proprietor,  Lord 
Hamilton. 

James  Hamilton  was  a  nephew  of  the  Dalzells, 
FIG.  252.— Dalzell  Castle,  and  it  is  his  initials  and  arms  which  have  just  been 

Tympanum  of  Window      referre(J  to. 

in  Staircase. 


BOGHALL  CASTLE,  BIGGAR,  LANARKSHIRE. 

The  town  of  Biggar  occupies  an  important  strategic  position,  being 
situated  in  the  strath  by  which  the  vales  of  the  Clyde  and  Tweed  are 
almost  joined  together.  It  was  at  this  point  that  a  branch  of  the  Roman 
road  diverged  from  the  main  north  route  of  "  Watling  Street,"  and  led 
down  Tweeddale  towards  the  standing  camp  on  the  Lyne.  This  position 
has  therefore  doubtless  been  always  regarded  as  a  valuable  one,  and  been 
occupied  by  a  place  of  strength. 

Biggar  possessed  from  the  twelfth  century  a  free  rectory  ;  and  in  1545 
a  collegiate  church  was  founded  by  Lord  Fleming,  a  large  portion  of 
which  is  still  preserved.  The  possessors  of  the  barony  can  be  traced  back 
to  the  twelfth  century.  About  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century  it 
passed  by  marriage  into  the  hands  of  the  family  of  Fleming.  They  were 
supporters  of  Bruce  ;  and  Malcolm  Fleming,  of  the  Galloway  branch,  was 
created  Earl  of  Wigton.  The  family  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  the 
kingdom  during  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  and  served  their 
country  well  both  at  home  and  abroad.  Some  of  them  filled  important 
posts,  such  as  High  Chamberlain,  &c. ;  and  in  1458-9  the  Fleming  of  that 
date  was  created  a  peer,  with  the  title  of  Lord  Fleming  of  Cumbernauld. 

For  a  time  the  title  of  Earl  of  Wigton,  borne  by  the  elder  line  of 
Fleming,  was  in  abeyance  ;  but  it  was  revived  in  1606,  in  favour  of  Lord 
Fleming  of  Bygar  and  Cumbernauld.  He  was  the  representative  of  a 
younger  branch,  in  which  the  title  continued  till  it  became  extinct,  in 
1747,  at  the  death  of  John,  sixth  earl.* 

Boghall  Castle,  once  the  seat  of  the  above  powerful  family,  is  now 
reduced  to  the  relics  of  three  towers,  which  stand  detached  in  a  cultivated 
field  on  the  south  side  of  the  town  of  Biggar.  The  Plan  (Fig.  253)  shows 

*  The  Upper  Ward  of  Lanarkshire.  By  J.  Vere  Irving  and  Alexander  Murray, 
Vol.  i.  p.  295. 


BOCillALL   CASTLK 


—    321    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


the  relative  position  of  these  towers,  and  the  dotted  lines  show  the 
probable  positions  of  the  enclosing  walls  of  the  courtyard,  with  the 
gateway  and  mansion-house,  so  far  as  these  can  be  gathered  from  the 
views  by  Grose,  Clark  of  Eldon,  and  Riddel  of  Glenriddel,  made  about  a 
century  ago. 

The  whole  structure  was  formerly  surrounded  by  marshes  and  a  deep 
fosse.     The  gatehouse  was  situated  at  a  salient  angle  of  the  north  wall, 


H (- 


TOWER  AT    A 
ENLARGED 


Fio.  253.— Boghall  Castle.    Plan. 

and,  from  the  old  views  above  referred  to,  was  evidently  a  substantial 
structure,  having  a  central  archway  and  guardrooms  on  each  side,  the 
summit  being  crowned  with  a  corbelled  and  embrasured  parapet,  with 
turrets  at  the  angles.  The  north-east  and  north-west  angles  of  the 
enceinte  were  protected  by  substantial  round  towers.  Fig.  254  shows  the 
form  of  the  north-east  tower,  which  is  the  best  preserved.  From  (the  style 
of  the  masonry  and  form  of  the  shot-holes  in  them,  and  of  the  corbelling 
under  the  parapet,  these  towers  have  evidently  been  erections  of  the 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—  322  — 


BOGHALL   CASTLE 


Third  Period.  They  are  circular  externally,  with  a  diameter  of  about 
17  feet,  but  have  contained  square  apartments  internally  of  about  8  feet 
in  width.  These  towers  were  vaulted  on  the  ground  floor  and  also  at  the 
top,  so  as  to  carry  a  stone  roof.  This  is  a  style  of  tower  which  was  not 
uncommon  in  the  above  period.  The  whole  enclosure  extends  to  192  feet 
from  east  to  west  by  205  feet  from  north  to  south.  There  was  a  circular 
tower  at  the  south-east  angle,  but  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any 


FIG.  254.— Boghall  Castle.    North-East  Tower. 

tower  at  the  south-west  angle.      The  curtain  walls  were  provided  with 
shot-holes,  widely  splayed,  like  those  of  the  towers. 

The  mansion-house  stood  at  the  south-east  angle  of  the  courtyard.  It 
consisted  of  a  plain  oblong  structure  of  the  T  form.  The  tower,  still 
existing,  contained  the  entrance  door  and  staircase  in  the  centre  of  the 
mansion-house.  Its  existing  condition  is  seen  in  Fig.  255.  A  moulding 
at  the  eaves  contains  the  date  1670,  which  is  probably  original.  Beneath 
this  are  the  windows  which  lighted  the  staircase,  and  between  them  a 


BOGIIALL    CASTLE 


—  323  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


panel  containing  the  arms  and  supporters  of  the  Earls  of  Wigton.  The 
roof,  although  ruinous,  is  only  about  a  hundred  years  old.  The  original 
roof  (as  shown  in  the  drawings  above  referred  to,  as  well  as  in  Fig.  256, 
which  is  taken  from  a  drawing  in  the  library  of  the  Royal  Scottish 
Academy)  was  a  lofty  conical  one.  The  mansion-house  has,  from  its 
style,  been  evidently  a  structure  of  the  Fourth  Period,  probably  as  late  as 
the  above  date  of  1670. 


HVX^v 


Fro.  255.— Bodiall  C.astle.    Staircase  Tower. 

The  enceinte,  with  its  towers  and  gatehouse,  have  undoubtedly  pre- 
sented a  large  and  important  example  of  the  Courtyard  Plan  of  the  Third 
Period.  It  is  unfortunate  that  so  few  of  its  features  have  been  preserved. 

The  fate  common  to  so  many  of  our  ancient  edifices  has  overtaken  it, 
the  stones  having  been  nearly  all  carted  away  within  the  present  century 
to  form  materials  for  the  building  of  dykes  and  farm  offices. 


THIRD    PEUIOD 


—    324    — 


BOGHALL    CASTLE 


1NNEBWICK    CASTLE 


—    325    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


INNERWICK   CASTLE,   HADDINGTONSHIRE. 

This  once  extensive  building,  now  reduced  to  a  state  of  ruin,  occupied 
the  whole  platform  of  a  detached  point  of  red  sandstone  rock,  which  pro- 
jects into  the  deep  and  rocky  ravine  of  the  Thornton  Burn,  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  its  junction  with  the  sea,  and  five  miles  south-east  from 
Dunbar.  This  mass  of  sandstone  is  perpendicular  for  a  considerable 

ft*. 

<fe  -- 


FIG.  257. — Innerwick  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

height  on  the  north,  east,  and  south  sides,  and  below  the  sheer  faces  of 
the  rock  the  steep  and  broken  bank  descends  rapidly  to  the  burn.  The 
effect  of  the  castle,  as  seen  on  its  lofty  peak  through  the  thickly -wooded 
glen  (Fig.  257),  is  thus  most  commanding  and  picturesque.  On  the  west, 
the  side  of  the  site  next  the  mainland,  the  castle  is  isolated  by  a  ditch 
(Fig.  258),  about  15  feet  deep  and  15  feet  wide,  cut  in  the  rock,  and 
scarped  with  perpendicular  faces  on  either  side.  The  structure  is  now  so 
much  decayed  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  make  out  the  arrangement  of 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    326    — 


INNERWICK    CASTLE 


even  its  main  features.  Such  a  commanding  and  defensible  site  must, 
however,  have  been  occupied  as  a  stronghold  from  a  very  early  date. 
When  the  present  castle  was  erected  we  have  no  information,  but  the 
thick  walls  and  vaults  of  the  central  portion,  and  the  simple  round  and 
pointed  arches,  with  plain  splays  of  the  doorways,  seem  to  indicate  parts 
of  an  ancient  keep.  The  buildings  to  the  eastward,  with  thinner  walls, 
probably  now  cover  a  space  originally  reserved  as  an  open  court  at  the 


FIG.  258.  -Innerwick  Castle.    Ground  Plan. 

point  of  the  promontory.  These  erections  have  apparently  contained  a 
kitchen  on  the  ground  floor  and  a  hall  on  the  first  floor.  The  large  kitchen 
fireplace  has,  however,  been  inserted  into  more  ancient  pointed  vaults  in 
the  two  rooms  adjoining.  The  hall  has  been  a  long  room,  with  a  fireplace 
on  the  north  side.  Three  of  the  corbels  which  carried  its  roof  (or  an 
upper  floor)  yet  remain,  together  with  a  considerable  part  of  the  round 
vault  on  which  its  floor  rested. 

To  the  west  of  the  above  are  the  cellars  of  the  more  ancient  portion  of 


INNHBWICK    CASTLE 


—  327  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


the  castle,  the  doors  and  vaults  connected  with  which  are  shown  in  Fig. 
259.  A  passage,  with  three  doors  at  intervals  in  it,  has  apparently  run 
along  the  north  side  of  this  building,  and  may  perhaps  have  formed  the 
entrance  to  the  interior  of  the  castle.  It  is  difficult  now  to  determine 
how  access  was  provided  from  the  exterior.  There  was  no  doubt  a  draw- 
bridge across  the  ditch,  and  the  remains  of  a  wall  in  the  centre  seem  to 
point  out  its  position,  but  there  are  no  signs  of  a  door  in  the  wall  of  the 


FIG.  25y. — liinerwick  Castle.     Group  of  Vaults. 


castle  opposite  this  point.  The  wall  here  has,  however,  been  rebuilt,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  original  gateway,  with  drawbridge,  was  in  this 
position.  From  this  point  a  doorway  leads  into  a  narrow  passage  which 
seems  to  have  run  all  along  the  western  side  of  the  castle,  probably  for 
the  purpose  of  defending  it  and  watching  the  ditch. 

This  original  gateway  was  probably  built  up  and  the  castle  restored 
after  Somerset's  invasion  of  1548,  when  this  and  the  other  castles  of  the 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    328    — 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE 


district  were  all  destroyed.  The  dotted  lines  indicate  a  conjectural  new 
entrance  and  staircase  of  the  kind  usual  at  that  period. 

Above  the  point  marked  A  a  remarkable  feature  occurs,  viz.,  a  hollow 
square  tube,  6|  inches  high  and  8  inches  wide,  composed  of  freestone, 
which  slopes  down  diagonally  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall.  This  tube  or 
conduit,  which  is  now  about  a  yard  long,  has  formerly  been  of  greater 
length,  as  part  of  it  has  been  used  as  rubble  work  in  rebuilding  the 
adjoining  thick  wall.  This  conduit  was  probably  intended  for  carrying 
off  water  either  from  the  roof  or  from  a  sink.  At  Balvaird  Castle  a 
similar  tube  conducts  the  roof-water  to  the  garde-robes,  and  possibly 
this  one  may  have  served  a  similar  purpose. 

There  are  no  ornamental  details  preserved  in  any  part  of  the  structure, 
with  the  exception  of  a  small  window  (Fig.  260)  on  the  upper  floor  over- 
looking the  ditch,   the  character  of  which 
quite    corresponds   with    a    restoration,    as 
above  supposed,  after  Somerset's  time. 

Of  the  history  of  Innerwick  but  little 
seems  to  be  known,  except  that  it  belonged 
successively  to  families  of  the  name  of 
Stewart  and  Hamilton.  At  the  time  of 
Somerset's  expedition,  another  castle  called 
Thornton  stood  on  the  crag  on  the  opposite 

Fiu.  200. — Iimerwiok  Castle.     Window. 

side  of  the  glen,  where  its  foundations  can 

still  be  traced.  Thornton  belonged  to  Lord  Home,  and  was  kept  by  one 
Tom  Trotter,  who,  being  summoned  by  Somerset's  herald,  left  the  tower, 
locking  up  "xvi  poore  soules "  in  it  to  defend  it,  while  he  promised  to 
return  with  succour.  Innerwick  was  defended  by  the  Master  of  Hamilton 
and  eight  more  gentlemen.  They  barricaded  the  doors  and  windows,  ajid 
attempted  a  defence  from  the  battlements ;  but  the  besiegers  managed  to 
force  an  entrance,  and  "the  hakbutters  gat  in  and  fyred  them  underneth ; 
whereby  beying  greatly  trobled  with  smoke  and  smoother  and  brought  in 
desperation  of  defence,  they  called  pitefully  over  thir  walles  to  my  Lord's 
Grace  for  mercy."  This  the  duke  "of  his  noble  generositie  "  granted,  but 
"ere  the  messenger  came  the  hakbutters  had  gootten  up  to  them,  and 
killed  viii  of  them  aloft ;  one  lept  over  ye  walles,  and  runing  more  than  a 
furlong  after  was  slaine  without  in  a  water."* 


ST.    ANDREWS   CASTLE,    FIFESHIRE. 

The  ruins  of  this  once  extensive  castle  crown  a  rocky  headland  50  feet 
high,  lying  on  the  north-east  side  of  the  town  of  St.  Andrews,  with  the 
waves  of  the  wild  North  Sea  washing  two  sides  of  its  base. 

*  Grose,  Vol.  i.  p.  91. 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE 


—    329    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


FIG.  261.— St.  Andrews  Castle.    Plan. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    330    — 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE 


The  rocks  are  of  fine  soft  sandstone  mixed  with  seams  of  shale  and 
limestone,  the  whole  being  of  a  rather  friable  nature,  so  that  during  the 
six  centuries  which  have  elapsed  since  the  first  building  was  erected  their 
outline  to  the  north  and  east  has  undergone  great  changes. 

Even  in  the  century  since  Grose's  time  considerable  alteration  is 
apparent,  the  stretch  of  grass  on  the  east  shown  in  his  sketch  being  now 
washed  away  except  at  the  north  corner. 

Martin,  who  wrote  in  1683,  says  that  "in  his  time  there  were  people 
still  living  who  remembered  seeing  bowls  played  on  the  level  ground  to 
the  east  and  north;"  and  Grose  mentions  "that  the  proprietor  of  a 


FIG.  262.— St.  Andrews  Castle.    View  of  South  Front. 

neighbouring  estate  had  the  privilege  of  driving  his  cattle  and  goods  on 
the  east  side  of  the  castle,  which  for  some  centuries  past  no  man  could 
have  done." 

This  view,  with  regard  to  the  disappearance  of  ground  round  the  castle 
from  being  swallowed  up  by  the  sea,  is,  however,  controverted  by  the  Rev. 
C.  J.  Lyon  in  his  History  of  St.  Andrews* 

The  present  buildings  (Fig.  261),  which,  as  we  shall  see,  were  erected 
at  different  dates,  are  surrounded  on  the  south  by  a  moat  about  28  feet 
wide,  which  would  in  all  probability  extend  along  the  west  side  to  the  sea. 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  11. 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE 


—    331    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


The  surrounding  walls  enclosed  a  courtyard  about  150  feet  square,  with  a 
tower  at  each  corner  and  buildings  all  round.  The  south  front  (Fig.  262), 
which  is  the  best  preserved  portion  of  the  castle,  has  a  large  keep-like 
tower  projecting  near  the  centre  with  chequered  corbelling  under  the 
parapet.  Probably  the  chapel,  of  which  there  are  frequent  notices,  formed 
the  upper  part  of  the  building  which  extends  eastwards  from  this  tower. 


FIG.  263.— St.  Andrews  Castle.     Entrance  Gateway. 

In  the  view  of  the  castle  by  Slezer,  the  windows  of  this  building  have  an 
ecclesiastical  aspect,  as  if  they  belonged  to  such  a  structure. 

The  main  entrance  to  the  castle  seems  formerly  to  have  been  through 
the  above  central  tower.  The  jambs  of  an  archway  still  remain  (although 
built  up)  in  the  lower  portion,  at  the  level  of  the  ground  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  ditch ;  and  the  long  wide  space  with  stone  seats  on  each  side, 
which  extends  towards  the  courtyard  at  the  back  of  the  tower,  /looks  like 
an  ancient  entrance  passage.  This  part  of  the  building  probably  belongs 
to  the  fifteenth  century. 


, 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    332    — 


ST.    ANDREWS   CASTLE 


The  western  portion  of  the  south  front  adjoining  the  tower  contains 
the  more  modern  entrance  gateway,  which  was  reached  by  a  drawbridge 
across  the  moat,  the  pier  on  which  the  drawbridge  rested  when  lowered 
being  still  visible  in  the  centre  of  the  moat. 

This  gateway,  which  is  rather  a  handsome  structure  (Fig.  263),  has  a 
moulded  segmental  archway,  and  is  surmounted  by  a  projecting  centre- 
piece, enclosing  a  panel  for  a  coat  of  arms,  above  which  a  high  frieze 
contains  four  circular  panels,  with  a  large  cinquefoil  in  each.  At  the  top 
of  the  wall  to  the  east  of  the  gateway  are  projecting  ornamental  sills, 
which  doubtless  sustained  finely  carved  dormers.  These  features  are  all 
executed  in  the  early  Renaissance  style,  and  are  probably  the  work  of 
Archbishop  Hamilton  (1546-71),  and  will  be  afterwards  referred  to. 

On  either  side  of  the  entrance  passage  are  vaulted  guardrooms.  From 
that  on  the  right-hand  side  there  is  a  postern  opening  above  the  moat,  and 


FIG.  264.— St.  Andrews  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

situated  at  one  side  of  the  main  entrance.  This  was  doubtless  used  for 
access  from  the  bridge  when  the  main  gateway  was  closed.  The 
upper  floor  (Fig.  264)  over  this  part  of  the  edifice  contained  a  suite  of 
small  apartments. 

The  great  hall  lay  along  the  east  side  of  the  castle,  as  is  evident  from 
the  account  given  further  on  of  the  siege  operations.  Time  and  the  sea 
have  on  this  side  made  considerable  inroads.  In  1801  a  large  part  of  the 
rock  at  this  point  fell  into  the  sea,  and  carried  with  it  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  seaward  walls. 

The  kitchen  tower  is  at  the  north-east  corner,  where  there  are  two 
vaulted  cellars  entering  from  a  passage  lighted  by  a  window  in  the  end. 
The  stair  to  the  upper  floor  at  this  corner  enters  from  the  outside  of  the 
courtyard.  The  wall  to  the  east  is  of  great  thickness  (12  feet),  showing 
that  the  castle  must  have  been  assailable  at  this  point ;  and  indeed  Grose, 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE  -    333    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

in  his  sketch  of  1790,  shows  indications  of  a  path  here  leading  up  from 
the  sea. 

The  sea  tower  is  on  the  north-west,  and  contains  a  vaulted  chamber  on 
the  level  of  the  courtyard,  and  another  on  a  lower  level,  in  which  is  the 
entrance  to  the  famous  "  bottle  dungeon,"  cut  out 
of  the  rock,  and  in  shape  somewhat  resembling  a 
common  bottle,  being  narrow  at  the  neck  and 
widening  out  below  (see  Fig.  265).  A  small  seam 
of  coal  is  seen  in  the  rock  here.  On  the  first  floor 
(see  Fig.  261)  are  the  remains  of  two  rooms,  one 
with  an  oriel  looking  out  to  the  North  Sea. 

The  well  is  in  the  courtyard  opposite  the 
entrance  gateway,  and  is  23  feet  deep  to  the 
water,  which  is  also  of  considerable  depth.  It 

is  surrounded  by  a  parapet  and  railing,  and  a  number  of  fine  ferns  are 
seen  growing  on  its  sides. 

The  tower  at  the  south-west  angle  has  been  round,  but  is  now  almost 
entirely  demolished. 

The  Bishops  of  St.  Andrews  possessed  a  residence  at  Inchmurtach,  a 
few  miles  south-east  of  the  town,  from  an  early  period,  but  no  trace  of  it 
now  remains.  This  residence  was  built  by  William  Lamberton,  being  one 
of  many  houses  which  he  erected  in  various  parts  of  the  country  for 
himself  and  successors ;  but  it  was  doubtless  a  place  of  less  importance 
than  the  Castle  of  St.  Andrews,  which,  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyon  says, 
"  answered  the  three-fold  purpose  of  an  Episcopal  palace,  a  fortress,  and 
a  state  prison." 

The  castle  was  originally  constructed  by  Bishop  Rodger  in  1200 — forty 
years  after  the  founding  of  the  cathedral.  Little  of  an  eventful  nature 
took  place  in  connection  with  it  for  nearly  a  century,  till  the  time  of 
Bishop  William  Lamberton  (1298  and  1328),  when  it  was  frequently 
captured  and  recaptured  in  the  wars  of  succession. 

Shortly  after  Bannockburn,  Lamberton  set  himself  to  look  after  the 
interests  of  his  diocese,  then  sorely  ruined  with  civil  war.  He  repaired 
the  Castle  of  St.  Andrews  and  constructed  the  new  chapter-house  of  the 
cathedral,  besides  erecting  numerous  other  buildings  for  the  benefit  of  his 
See.  During  the  minority  of  David  n.  the  troops  of  Edward  in.  held 
most  of  the  important  fortresses  in  the  South  of  Scotland,  and  amongst 
them  that  of  St.  Andrews.  But  on  Sir  Andrew  Murray  becoming  regent, 
he  captured  ^it  in  1336  after  a  three  weeks'  siege,  and  completely  de- 
molished the  castle,  so  as  to  prevent  it  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
English.  For  upwards  of  fifty  years  it  seems  to  have  remained  in  ruins, 
till  the  time  of  Bishop  Walter  Trail  (1385-1401),  "who  died,"  says 
Fordun,  "  in  the  Castle  of  St.  Andrews,  which  he  had  reconstructed  from 
its  foundation." 


THIRD  PERIOD  -  334  -  ST.  ANDREWS  CASTLE 

The  second  castle,  like  the  first,  seems  for  a  considerable  time  after  its 
erection  to  have  had  an  uneventful  history.  But  on  the  death  of  Arch- 
bishop Alexander  Stewart  in  1513,  three  competitors  urged  their  respective 
claims  for  the  See.  One  of  them  was  Gavin  Douglas  the  poet ;  the  others 
being  John  Hepburn,  Prior  of  St.  Andrews,  and  Andrew  Forman,  Bishop 
of  Moray  ;  and  as  each  had  powerful  friends  to  support  his  cause,  the 
castle  became  a  scene  of  strife  among  the  contending  parties. 

"  During  this  contest  the  peaceable  translator  of  the  JEneid  retired 
from  the  field  in  disgust ;  and,  to  add  to  his  misfortune,  he  was  soon 
after  imprisoned  by  the  Regent,  duke  of  Albany,  for  twelve  months,  in 
the  very  same  castle  which  he  had  good  grounds  to  expect  would  have 
been  his  archiepiscopal  palace."*  Bishop  Forman  was  the  successful 
candidate. 

During  the  time  of  his  successor,  Archbishop  James  Beaton  (1523- 
1539),  we  get  a  glimpse  of  regal  splendour  and  hospitality  at  the  castle. 
Mr.  Lyon  quotes  letters  from  the  English  ambassador  (Magnus,  Arch- 
deacon of  Reading),  in  which  he  narrates,  "  I  understand  there  hath  not 
been  such  a  house  kept  in  Scotland  many  days  before,  as  of  late  the  said 
archbishop  hath  kept,  and  yet  keepeth ;  insomuch  as  at  the  being  with 
him  of  these  lords,  (Angus,  Lennox,  Argyle,  &c.),  both  horses  and  men, 
he  gave  livery  nightly  to  twenty-one  score  horses."  f 

Two  years  after  this,  Angus  and  the  archbishop  were  at  war  about  the 
custody  of  the  youthful  monarch,  James  v. ;  and  the  former  completely 
defeating  the  archbishop  in  a  bloody  battle  at  Kirkliston,  seized  on  and 
plundered  the  Castle  of  St.  Andrews.  But  in  the  course  of  a  few  months 
the  archbishop  was  again  in  possession  of  his  castle,  and  matters  were 
smoothed  over. 

James  Beaton  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew,  the  celebrated  Cardinal 
Beaton  (1539-1546),  whose  patriotic  resistance  to  the  crafty  designs  of 
Henry  vin.  led  to  his  murder,  and  ultimately  to  the  almost  total  destruc- 
tion of  the  castle.  The  story  of  his  assassination  is  well  known.  The 
cardinal  was  actively  engaged  strengthening  the  fortifications  of  the 
castle,  says  Mr.  Lyon,  "  against  the  threatened  attack  from  his  implacable 
enemy,  Henry  vin.,  and  the  conspirators,  some  eight  or  ten  men  loiter- 
ing about  in  the  early  morning,  took  advantage  of  the  entrance  of  the 
masons  employed  at  the  fortifications  to  gain  admittance,  to  stab  the 
porter  and  throw  his  body  into  the  fosse,  send  the  workmen  quietly  off 
the  premises,  and  so  take  complete  possession  of  the  castle  before  its 
inmates  were  astir,  and  then  dismiss  the  servants  and  inmates  one  by  one. 
'In  this  manner,'  says  Tytler,  'a  hundred  workmen  and  fifty  household 
servants  were  disposed  of  by  a  handful  of  men,  who,  closing  the  gates  and 
dropping  the  portcullis,  were  complete  masters  of  the  castle.' "  The 
sequel  was  the  death  of  the  cardinal.  After  he  was  dispatched,  the 
*  Lyon's  History  of  St.  Andrews,  Vol.  I.  p.  256.  t  Ibid.  p.  268. 


ST.    ANDREWS    CASTLE  —    335    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

murderers  kept  possession  of  the  castle,  their  numbers  being  somewhat 
augmented ;  and  considerable  assistance  arriving  from  Henry,  they  were 
enabled  to  withstand  a  siege  of  about  one  year's  duration.  An  interest- 
ing account  of  this,  written  by  the  conspirators  themselves  and  addressed 
to  Henry's  agents,  is  printed  in  Vol.  II.,  p.  366,  of  Mr.  Lyon's  History, 
from  which  we  make  the  following  extracts  : — 

In  the  month  of  December,  being  about  six  months  after  the  cardinal's 
murder,  and  immediately  following  an  attempt  at  a  compromise,  "the 
governor  (Arran)  sent  to  the  west  trenches,  four  cannons,  a  battering 
culverin,  two  smaller  culverins,  and  some  double  falcons,  in  order  to 
batter  the  sea-tower  that  is  at  the  north-west  and  the  west  wall."  This  was 
on  a  Friday,  and  "  on  Wednesday,  they  began,  and  shot  from  seven  in  the 
morning  continually,  till  four  in  the  evening.  .  .  .  That  day,  they  shot  down 
all  the  battlements,  and  tophouse  of  the  sea-tower,  and  the  whole  roof  of 
the  chambers  next  the  sea ;  and  all  this  day,  they  shot  upon  the  east  side 
of  the  castle  with  fedderit  ballatlis*  at  the  hall  and  chapel,  and  dislodged 
us  from  that  part  by  the  downputtiiig  of  the  roof  and  slates."  They  go 
on  to  detail  the  privations  they  suffered,  and  negotiations  which  took 
place  between  them  and  Governor  Arran.  "  Meanwhile,"  says  Mr. 
Lyon,f  "  the  English  and  French  Governments  were  both  active  in  their 
preparations  :  the  former  to  succour  the  garrison  in  the  castle,  the  latter 
to  attack  them.  But  the  French  were  ready  first.  In  the  summer  of 
1547  they  sent  twenty-one  galleys,  under  the  command  of  Leon  Stronzius, 
Prior  of  Capua,  both  a  priest  and  a  warrior,  to  assist  the  Governor  of 
Scotland  in  reducing  the  castle. " 

Lindsay  of  Pitscottie  narrates  j  that  "  when  the  news  came  that  these 
vessels  were  seen  off  St.  Abb's  Head,  steering  for  St.  Andrews,  the 
governor  well  content  hereof,  hasted  him  to  St.  Andrews,  with  the 
gentlemen  of  Fife,  Angus,  and  Strathearn,  and  welcomed  the  French 
captain.  .  .  .  They  clapt  about  the  house  so  hastily  and  unexpectedly, 
that  many  were  closed  out,  and  divers  were  closed  in,  against  their  will. 
Then  they  mounted  their  ordnance  both  upon  the  college  steeple,  and  also 
upon  the  walls  of  the  abbey  kirk,  wherewith  they  condemned  the  castle 
close ;  so  that  no  man  durst  walk  therein,  or  go  up  to  the  wall  head. 
The  captain  told  the  governor,  that  they  had  been  unexpert  warriors  who 
had  not  mounted  their  ordnance  on  the  steeple  heads  in  that  manner,  and 
that  he  wondered  at  the  keepers  of  the  castle;  that  they  had  not  first 
broken  down  the  heads  of  the  steeples.  He  caused  also  the  great  battery 
to  be  laid  to  the  castle,  the  two  Scottish  cannons  and  six  French ;  and  to 
preveen  slaughter,  he  devised  that  the  cannons  should  pass  down  the  streets 
by  engines,  without  any  man  with  them ;  which  thing  when  the  Italian 

*  "  Bolts  from  the  balista  or  cross-bow,  '  feathered,'  to  guide  them  to  their 
mark." 

t  Vol.  i.  p.  314.  £  See  Lyon. 


THIRD    PERIOD  336    —  ST.    ANDREWS   CASTLE 

engineer  (which  had  been  sent  from  England  for  the  support  of  those 
within  the  castle)  perceived,  he  said  that  they  had  now  to  do  with  men  of 
war,  and  therefore  had  need  to  take  heed  to  themselves.  They  answered 
that  they  should  defend  their  castle  against  Scotland,  France,  and  Ireland, 
all  three.  But  the  battery,  within  a  few  hours  made  such  breaches  in  the 
wall  that,  despairing  of  their  strength,  after  consultation,  they  yielded  the 
castle  and  themselves  to  the  King  of  France.  The  French  captain  entered 
and  spoiled  the  castle  very  rigorously  ;  wherein  they  found  great  store  of 
vivers,  clothes,  armour,  silver,  and  plate,  which,  with  the  captives,  they 
carried  away  in  their  galleys.  The  governor,  by  the  advice  of  the  council, 
demolished  the  castle,  least  it  should  be  a  receptacle  of  rebels." 

To  the  same  effect  the  Diurnal  of  Occurrents  states  that  "they  tuke 
the  auld  and  young  Lairds  of  Grange,  Normound  Leslie,  the  Laird  of 
Pitmillie,  Mr.  Henry  Balnevis,  and  John  Knox,  with  many  utheris,  to 
the  nomber  of  sex  score  persones,  and  caryit  thame  all  away  to  France ; 
and  tuke  the  spoilzie  of  the  said  castell,  quhilk  was  worth  100,000  pundis, 
and  tuke  down  the  hous." 

As  already  mentioned,  the  cardinal's  successor,  Archbishop  John 
Hamilton  (1546-71),  rebuilt  the  castle,  "whose  arms  and  initials,"  says 
Mr.  Lyon,  "may  be  traced  under  one  of  the  southern  windows,  and  whose 
device,  the  five-rayed  star,  is  above  the  gateway."  The  south-west  portion, 
as  above  pointed  out,  may  clearly  be  assigned  to  him,  but  it  appears  to 
have  been  carried  up  from  the  ruins  of  older  walls.  The  bases  of  four 
pillars,  which  have  probably  formed  an  arcade,  still  survive  in  the  interior, 
and  are  seemingly  of  seventeenth-century  work.  This  arcade  would  prob- 
ably resemble  the  one  which  existed  in  front  of  the  Parliament  Hall  in 
Stirling  Castle.  It  is  highly  probable  that  most  of  the  vaulted  buildings 
along  the  north  side  are  of  older  date  than  the  siege,  but  they  are  all  too 
fragmentary  to  enable  one  to  speak  with  certainty. 

In  1587,  under  the  Presbyterian  ascendancy,  the  Act  of  Annexation 
was  passed  which  transferred  the  castle  of  St.  Andrews,  along  with  other 
church  property,  to  the  Crown.  In  1606  the  king,  for  its  proper  preserva- 
tion, granted  it  to  the  Earl  of  Dunbar,  "giving,"  says  Lyon,  "the  then 
titular  archbishop,  Gladstone,  certain  other  properties  instead  of  it." 

In  1612,  on  the  establishment  of  Episcopacy,  the  castle  was  restored 
to  the  archbishop,  all  parties  being  compensated. 

After  this  period  the  importance  of  the  castle  of  St.  Andrews  gradually 
waned — a  few  visits  of  James  vi.,  and  the  imprisonment  of  various  political 
and  ecclesiastical  offenders,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
being  the  only  events  recorded  in  its  annals,  except  that  the  Town  Council 
in  1654  ordered  part  of  its  venerable  materials  to  be  used  in  repairing  the 
harbour  walls. 


BALFOUR   CASTLK 


—    337    — 


TIIIIU)    PERIOD 


BALFOUR   CASTLE,*   FORFARSHIRE. 

A  fragment  of  a  large  castle  in  the  parish  of  Kingoldrum,  three  or 
four  miles  west  from  Kirrieinuir.  It  lies  in  the  open  plain,  and  nothing 
of  the  ancient  structure  remains  except  one  large  circular  tower  (Fig.  266), 
which  appears  to  have  been  the  south-west  tower  of  the  walls  of  enceinte. 
The  foundation  of  the  south  wall  extended,  till  a  few  years  ago,  about 


Fio.  266.— Balfour  Castle.    Tower  and  Flans. 

30  feet  eastwards,  and  remains  of  the  north-east  tower  existed  till  lately, 
but  unfortunately  no  plan  of  them  ever  seems  to  have  been  made,  so  that  the 
size  of  the  castle  cannot  be  ascertained  ;  nor  can  anything  further  be  said 
of  its  disposition  and  plan.  The  existing  tower  is  vaulted  on  the  ground 
floor,  which  was  evidently  reached  from  the  courtyard  down  a  feV  steps. 
The  tower  contains  six  stories,  and  in  its  existing  form  it  is  from  50  to  60 
*  The  Plans  of  this  structure  are  from  drawings  by  Mr.  George  Gordon  Milne. 

Y 


THIRD    PERIOD 


338    — 


BUCHOLIE    CASTLE 


feet  high,  and  has  a  considerable  taper.  The  present  roof  is  old,  but  un- 
doubtedly is  not  the  original  one.  The  house  adjoining  is  quite  modern,  and 
at  the  distance  of  a  few  yards  there  is  a  large  farm-steading,  the  presence 
of  which  probably  accounts  for  the  almost  total  disappearance  of  the  castle, 
the  materials  having  doubtless  formed  the  quarry  for  the  modern  buildings. 
Balfour  was  the  castle  of  the  Ogilvies,  a  branch  of  the  Airlie  family, 
and  is  probably  as  old  as  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

BUCHOLIE   CASTLE,*   CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

This,  like  so  many  of  the  Caithness  castles,  is  built  on  a  peninsular 
rock,  jutting  into  and  nearly  surrounded  by  the  sea  (Fig.   267).     It  is 


SEA 

FIG.  267.— Bucholie  Castle.    Plans. 

situated  a  short  way  south  of  Freswick  Bay,  and  within  a  few  miles  of 
John  o'  Groat's  House.     The  detached  mass  of  rock  on  which  the  castle  is 

*  The  Plan  of  this  structure  is  from  a  drawing  kindly  supplied  by  the  Rev.  A. 
Miller. 


BUCHOLIK    CASTLE 


—    339    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


built,  with  perpendicular  sides  about  100  feet  high,  is  connected  with  the 
land  only  by  a  narrow  neck  at  the  north-west  angle,  the  level  of  which  at 
the  entrance  gate  is  9  feet  below  the  level  of  the  threshold.  The  door 
could  therefore  only  be  reached  by  a  moveable  wooden  bridge  from  a 
higher  strip  of  ground  a  little  distance  off.  The  entrance  to  the  castle 
from  this  gateway  was  partly  under  the  keep,  beyond  which  it  passed 
through  a  very  long  and  narrow  passage  between  two  high  walls,  from 
which  it  was  completely  commanded.  At  the  inner  end  of  this  passage 


FIG.  268. — Bucholie  Castlfi,  from  South-West. 

there  occurs  an  archway  with  a  second  gate,  so  that  assailants  penetrating 
through  the  first  or  outer  gate  would  be  stopped  by  the  inner  one,  and 
being  caught  in  the  narrow  passage  would  be  easily  disposed  of  from  the 
battlements  on  each  side,  or  from  apertures  in  the  first  floor  of  the  keep. 
The  keep  stood,  as  usual,  close  to  the  isthmus  which  joined  the  castle  to 
the  mainland,  but  little  more  than  part  of  the  west  wall  now  exists  (Fig. 
268).  The  walls  are  built  with  an  external  slope  or  batter/ — an  un- 
common arrangement  in  Caithness  castles — and  above  the  second  story 
are  seen  the  remains  of  a  projecting  battlement. 


THIRD    PERIOD  -    340    SPECIAL    PLANS 

The  passage  above  referred  to  gives  access  to  the  courtyard,  which  is 
of  the  usual  long  narrow  shape  of  the  Caithness  castles,  and  had  buildings 
on  each  side  of  it ;  but  they  are  now  so  ruinous  that  it  is  impossible  to 
say  how  they  were  used.  Traces  may  be  observed  of  an  outside  stair  to 
an  upper  floor. 

This  castle  is  said  to  have  been  held  by  Sweyn  about  1170.  Certainly 
the  position  is  one  which  would  be  naturally  taken  possession  of  from  an 
early  period  as  a  site  for  a  fortress.  About  1300  it  was  possessed  by  the 
family  of  Mowat. 


FJNDLATER   CASTLE,    BANFFSHIRE. 

This  once  extensive  fortress  stood  on  a  lofty  detached  rock,  entirely 
surrounded  by  the  sea,  except  where  a  narrow  isthmus  joins  it  to  the 
mainland.  Jt  is  situated  on  the  north  coast  of  Banffshire,  about  three 
miles  east  of  Cullen. 

On  the  mainland  the  approach  to  the  castle  is  defended  by  an  intrenched 
area,  having  a  ditch  and  rampart,  240  feet  by  140  feet.  The  isthmus 
forming  the  access  is  cut  across  by  two  ditches,  which  no  doubt  were  pro- 
vided with  drawbridges.  Beyond  this  the  ruins  of  the  castle  indicate 
several  towers  which  command  the  approach.  The  area  of  the  rock  is 
about  180  feet  by  80  feet,  and  has  been  surrounded  by  buildings,  of 
which  only  the  vaulted  basement  on  the  west  side  now  remains.  This 
part  of  the  structure  has  been  built  up  from  a  lower  part  of  the  rock  to 
the  level  of  the  courtyard,  and  beneath  this  vault  there  is  a  still  deeper 
chamber,  partly  hewn  out  of  the  rock.  The  castle  seems  to  have  been  on 
the  same  model  as  Girnigoe  and  the  other  coast  fortresses  of  Caithness. 
It  belonged  from  the  time  of  David  n.  to  the  St.  Clairs,  afterwards  to  the 
Ogilvies,  Earls  of  Findlater,  and  is  now  the  property  of  the  Earl  of 
Seafield. 


SPECIAL   PLANS. 

The  Plans  of  the  following  buildings  are  designed  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  cannot  be  classified  according  to  any  of  the  above  systems.  It 
is  not  a  little  surprising  to  find  how  closely  the  traditional  plans  are 
adhered  to,  almost  every  castle  of  this  period  throughout  Scotland  being 
designed  on  one  or  other  of  the  three  plans  above  described,  viz.  :  first, 
the  Simple  Keep  ;  second,  the  L  Plan  ;  and  third,  the  Courtyard  Plan.  The 
following  seven  structures,  however,  cannot  now  be  placed  in  any  of  these 


DUNURE   CASTLE 


—   341    — 


TllIliD    PEH1OD 


divisions,  chiefly  owing  to  alterations  which  have  been  made  on  the 
fabric.  But  it  is  very  likely  that  had  they  not  been  interfered  with,  they 
would  nearly  all  have  taken  their  place  in  one  or  other  of  the  ordinary 
categories. 


DUNURE   CASTLE,   AYRSHIRE. 

This  ancient  fortress  of  the  Kennedies,  Earls  of  Cassillis,  stands  on  a 
bold  rocky  promontory  of  the  Carrick  coast,  jutting  out  into  the  sea  and 
protecting  a  small  harbour,  about  seven  miles  south  from  the  town  of  Ayr. 
The  earliest  charter  for  the  lands  is  dated  1256. 

In  an  account  of  the  family  of  Kennedy,  written  early  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  it  is  told  that  "  this  house  remanit  ane  lang  tyme  bot  in  ane 
sober  estaitt,"  and  how  the  proprietors  gradually  extended  their  possessions 
by  marriage  and  by  the  strong  hand.  During  the  fifteenth  century  some 
of  the  representatives  of  the  family  were  distinguished,  and  successively 
obtained  the  titles  of  Lord  Kennedy  and  Earl  of  Cassillis. 

The  description  of  the  means  by  which,  in  Queen  Mary's  disturbed 
reign,  Gilbert,  Earl  of  Cassillis,  increased  his  domain  is  interesting,  as  a 
specimen  of  the  mode  in  which  the  church  lands  were  too  often  dealt 
with  by  the  nobles  and  lairds  about  the  time  of  the  Reformation. 
The  earl's  proceedings  are  thus  described  :  "  Gilbertt  was  ane  particuler 
manne,  and  ane  werry  greidy  manne,  and  cairitt  nocht  how  he  gatt  land, 
sa  that  he  culd  cum  be  the  samin."  This  earl  schemed  with  one  of  the 
monks  of  Glenluce  Abbey  to  counterfeit  the  necessary  signatures  to  a  deed 
conveying  to  him  the  lands  of  the  abbey.  Fearing  that  the  monk  would 
reveal  the  forgery,  he  employed  a  "  cairill  "  to  "  stik  "  him  ;  and  then  in 
order  to  silence  the  latter,  the  earl  persuaded  his  uncle,  the  laird  of 
Bargany,  to  accuse  the  "  cairill "  of  theft  and  hang  him.  "  And  sa  the 
landis  of  Glenluse  wes  conqueist."  The  action  of  the  same  Earl  Gilbert, 
for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  the  lands  of  the  Abbey  of  Crosraguel,  was 
even  more  horrible.  "  At  the  alteratioune  of  the  religioun,  my  Lord  deltt 
with  the  abbott,"  but  the  feu  not  having  been  confirmed  by  the  Crown, 
was  disputed  by  Allan  Stewart,  the  succeeding  abbot  or  commendator. 
The  earl  then  carried  him  off  to  his  castle  of  Dunure,  and  "  quhane  he 
fand  him  obstinatt,  at  last  tuik  him  and  band  him  to  ane  furme,  and  sett 
his  bair  legis  to  ane  gritt  fyr,  and  extreymly  brunt  him  that  he  was  ewer 
thairefter  onabill  of  his  leggis."  The  laird  of  Bargany  hearing  of  this 
atrocity,  sent  to  rescue  the  abbot.  His  men  concealed  themselves  at  night 
in  a  chapel  close  to  the  gate  "  at  the  drawbrig-end,"  and  when  the  gate 
was  opened  in  the  morning  they  rushed  in  and  took  possession.  /  The  earl 
was  absent,  but  soon  returned,  and  endeavoured  to  retake  the  castle. 
His  followers  entered  the  chapel  above  mentioned,  and  attempted  to 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    342    — 


DUNURE   CASTLE 


DUNURE    CASTLE 


—    343    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


mine  the  wall  of  the  "  dungeone  "  which  adjoined  it.  "  Bot  the  Lairdis 
menne,  that  was  within,  keist  gritt  staneis  doune  of  the  heiche  battelling 
of  the  dungeoune ;  and  sa  brak  the  ruiff  of  the  chapell,  in  sik  maner,  that 
thay  war  forssitt  to  leiff  the  samin."  Bargany  soon  appeared  on  the 
scene  with  a  strong  force,  and  removed  the  abbot  to  Ayr,  and  after  a  time, 
and  with  some  negotiation,  "  all  agreyitt.  Me  Lord  gaiff  the  Abott  sum 
mony  to  leiff  wpone,  quhilk  contentit  him  all  his  dayis.  And  this  way  wes 
my  lordis  conqueise  of  Corsragall ;  quhilk  wes  bot  ane  bad  forme."  The 
castle  and  estate  of  Dunure,  together  with  those  of  Dalquharran,  were 
purchased  by  Sir  Thomas  Kennedy  of  Kirkhill  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  still  remain  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants. 
The  View  (Fig.  269)  shows  that  the  castle  consisted  of  two  distinct 
parts,  viz.,  a  keep  of  irregular  shape  on  the  top  of  a  precipitous  rock,  and 


FIG.  270. — Duuunt  Castle.     Plan. 

other  erections  at  a  considerably  lower  level.  The  enceinte  of  the  former 
follows  the  outline  of  the  rock,  with  a  wall  about  5  feet  thick.  The 
vaults  on  the  basement  (Fig.  270)  are  still  fairly  preserved,  but  the  whole 
of  the  superstructure,  except  the  fragment  of  the  north-west  wall  shown 
in  the  Sketch,  is  entirely  demolished.  This  keep  no  doubt  represents  the 
original  castle,  although  much  altered  in  course  of  time.  Its  outline  and 
style  recall  the  form  of  the  primitive  fortresses  of  the  West  Highlands 
during  the  First  Period. 

The  central  portion  seems  to  be  an  extension  of  the  structure,  probably 
erected  in  the  fifteenth  century  (to  judge  from  the  great  corbels  of  the 
parapet),  and  has  apparently  been  intended  to  form  a  defence  to  the  access 
into  the  keep.  It  no  doubt  contained  the  gateway  and  some  kind  of  stair- 
case to  the  buildings  on  the  higher  level ;  but  it  is  now  so  completely 


THIRD  PERIOD  -  344  -  DALQUHARRAN  CASTLE 

filled  up  with  stones  and  rubbish  that  the  interior  cannot  be  seen.  The 
additional  building  to  the  south-east  is  of  a  much  later  date.  It  contains 
two  kitchens  on  the  ground  floor,  each  with  its  great  fireplace  and  stone 
drain,  and  there  were  apartments  on  the  upper  floors.  One  of  these 
kitchens  may  have  been  for  the  castle  and  the  other  for  the  retainers,  as 
was  not  an  infrequent  arrangement.  To  the  north-east  stands  a  detached 
piece  of  wall,  where  there  seems  to  have  been  a  gateway.  Possibly  the 
drawbridge  above  referred  to  may  have  been  in  this  vicinity,  and  the 
chapel  may  have  stood  in  Earl  Gilbert's  time  against  the  thick  wall  of  the 
central  part  of  the  castle,  where  the  first  or  north  kitchen  was  afterwards 
added.  It  would  thus  be  liable  to  have  its  roof  broken  in  by  stones 
hurled  from  the  parapet  above,  and  it  would  also  be  convenient  for  the 
proposed  mining  operations  of  the  earl's  force  against  this  donjon. 
But  everything  is  now  so  ruined  and  changed  that  it  is  impossible 
to  tell. 

Where  the  torture  chamber  of  the  poor  commendator  was  cannot  now 
be  known — most  probably  in  one  of  the  vaulted  dungeons  of  the  keep, 
where  a  brazier  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  would  probably  be  used,  as  there 
is  no  appearance  of  a  fireplace  in  any  of  the  vaults. 


DALQUHARRAN   CASTLE,    AYRSHIRE. 

This  remarkable  edifice  is  situated  at  a  bend  of  the  Girvan  Water, 
near  Dailly,  about  six  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  at  Girvan.  Origin- 
ally a  rectangular  keep,  it  was  greatly  enlarged  and  converted  into  an 
extensive  mansion  towards  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

The  lands  of  "  Dalchorane  "  are  confirmed  to  the  abbey  of  Crosraguel 
by  Edward  Bruce,  Earl  of  Oarrick,  in  1324,  and  the  first  laird  of  whom 
mention  occurs  is  Gilbert  Kennedy,  in  1474.*  The  property  is  said  to 
have  been  subsequently  acquired  by  the  Kennedies  of  Girvan  Mains. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  Sir  Thomas  Kennedy  of 
Kirkhill,  Lord  Provost  of  Edinburgh,  purchased  the  estates  of  Girvan 
Mains  and  Dalquharran,  and  he  also  acquired  the  castle  and  domain  of 
Dunure.  In  William  Abercrummie's  Description  of  Carrick,  written  at 
the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  edifice  is  referred  to  as  "the 
stately  castle  of  Dolquharran,  the  building  whereof  is  much  improven  by 
the  additions  lately  made  thereto,  which  make  it  by  far  the  best  house 
of  all  that  country ;  surrounded  with  vast  enclosures  of  wood,  that  the 
country  is  not  able  to  consume  it  by  their  building  and  other  instru- 
ments." 

The  original  castle  (Fig.  271)  was  the  block  at  the  south  side.  It 
*  Charter  of  the  abbey  of  Crosraguel. 


DALQUHARRAN    CASTLE 


—    345    — 


THIKU    PK11IOD 


stands  on  a  mound  some  20  to  30  feet  above  the  river,  which  flows  round 
the  east  and  south,  while  there  was  in  all  probability  a  moat,  fed  by  the 
river  on  the  north  and  west  sides.  The  building  formed  a  keep  about  60 
feet  long  by  30  feet  wide,  with  walls  5  feet  in  thickness.  The  entrance 
door  was  probably  on  the  first  floor,  entering  directly  to  the  hall,  possibly 
at  the  north-west  angle.  This  floor  may  have  contained  two  apartments. 


FIG.  271. — Ualquharrari  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floon. 

the  hall  at  the  west  end  and  a  private  room  at  the  east  end,  as  there  are 
two  fireplaces.  The  private  room  would  thus  be  in  communication  with 
the  apartment  in  the  round  tower  at  the  south-east  angle,  and  a  narrow 
stair  from  the  recess  of  the  south  window  leads  from  it  to  the  cellars  in 
the  basement,  which  are  all  vaulted.  Several  lockers  occur  in  ^.he  wall,  a 
usual  provision  in  private  rooms ;  one  of  these  (shown  in  Fig.  272)  is  of  an 
ornate  description,  and  contains  the  arms  of  the  Kennedies.  With  refer- 


THIRD    PERIOD 


346    — 


DALQUHARRAN    CASTLE 


FIG.  272.— Dalquharran  Castle. 
Ambry,  with  Arms  of  the  Kennedies. 


ence  to  this  shield,  Paterson  says  *  :  "  The  Kennedy  arms  may  still  be 
seen  as  on  the  seal  of  the  Caldwell  charter  of  1537,  with  two  lymphads 
and  a  star  in  chief."  This,  taken  in  connection  with  documents  signed 
in  1536  by  John  Kennedy  of  Culzean,  at  "my  place"  of  Dalquharran, 

leads  him  to  the  conclusion  that  at  that 
date  the  property  belonged  to  the  Cul- 
zean family,  although  it  was  subse- 
quently acquired  by  the  Kennedies  of 
Girvan  Mains,  a  branch  of  the  Cassillis 
stock. 

The  exterior  of  this  sti'ucture  (Fig. 
273)  is  very  remarkable.  The  round 
tower  at  one  angle  is  a  somewhat  un- 
usual arrangement,  but  may  also  be 
observed  at  Rait  and  Morton  Castles,  f 
The  buttressing  of  the  south-west  angle 
is  also  unusual;  it  may  have  been  found 
necessary  owing  to  some  weakness  in 
the  foundation  at  that  point.  The 
keep  is  still  crowned  with  what  appears 
to  be  the  original  parapet  and  corbel 
table.  At  the  south-west  angle  this  is 
continued  round  an  open  bartizan,  and  it  is  most  probable  that  the  north- 
east and  north-west  angles  had  similar  terminations.  The  corbelling  is  of 
a  description  very  unusual  in  Scotland,  being  enriched  with  a  small  ogee 
arch  over  the  spaces  between  the  corbels,  which  produces  a  much  more 
ornate  effect  than  the  straight  lintel  generally  adopted,  and  recalls  an 
English  rather  than  a  Scottish  practice.  From  its  plan  and  careful  finish 
this  castle  may  be  classed  with  the  exceptional  examples  of  the  Third 
Period  above  referred  to. 

About  1679  large  additions  were  made  to  the  ancient  keep,  converting 
it  into  the  "  stately  castle  "  so  highly  commended  by  Abercrummie.  These 
additions  (Fig.  274)  are  in  the  advanced  Renaissance  of  that  date,  having 
projecting  rustic  corners,  facings  round  the  windows,  and  a  classic  door- 
piece.  The  latter  contains  the  motto,  "Ut  Scrip tura  sonat  finis  non 
pugna  coronat."  The  new  buildings  consist  of  a  wing  about  55  feet  long 
and  23  feet  wide,  with  a  round  tower  at  the  north-east  angle  and  a  square 
tower  in  the  re-entering  angle,  containing  a  wheel-stair  with  steps  about 
5  feet  in  length,  leading  both  to  the  old  keep  and  the  new  work.  Another 
square  tower,  containing  a  circular  staircase,  is  placed  at  the  north-west 
angle.  The  view  from  north-west  (see  Fig.  274)  shows  distinctly  the 
additions  made  on  the  north  side  of  the  keep,  the  old  parapet  and 

*  History  of  Ayr  and  Wigton,  Vol.  ir.  p  207. 
t  Vol.  I.  pp.  545,  558. 


DALQUHARRAN    CASTLE 


—  347  — 


THIKD    PEKIOD 


corbels  being  covered  by  them,  and  only  left  visible  where  no  new 
buildings  have  been  placed.  The  new  north  wing  seems  to  have  con- 
tained kitchen  offices  on  the  basement,  and  a  large  drawing-room  on 
the  first  floor  and  bedrooms  above.  The  round  tower  at  the  north-east 
angle  has  been  placed  there  with  the  view  of  balancing  that  at  the 
south-east  angle. 

The  space  in  front  of  the  entrance,   and  completing  the  square,   is 


FIG.  273. — Dulquharran  C'astle.    View  from  South-West. 

enclosed  with  a  balustrade,  and  had  a  large  gateway  with  ornamental 
pillars  on  the  north  side,  part  of  which  still  exists ;  and  there  are  indi- 
cations that  the  grounds  were  laid  out  with  gardens,  bowling-greens,  and 
other  ornamental  devices  of  the  period.  This  ancient  structure  is  still 
surrounded  with  fine  woods,  as  in  Abercrummie's  day.  The  modern 
mansion  of  Dalquharran  (built  in  1790),  the  residence  of  F.  T.  Komilly 
Kennedy,  Esq.  of  Dunure,  stands  on  the  higher  ground  above  the  old 
castle. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    348    — 


DALQUHARRAN    CASTLE 


THE    OLD    PLACR    OF    MOOIIRUM       349    


THIRD    PERIOD 


THE   OLD   PLACE   OF   MOCHRUM,   WIGTONSIIIRE. 

A  remarkable  double  tower  (sometimes  called  Drumwalt),  situated 
about  five  miles  south  from  the  village  and  railway  station  of  Kirkcowan. 
It  stands  on  a  bleak  moor  near  the  north  end  of  the  small  loch  of  Moch- 
i%um.  The  structure  is  a  singular  one,  consisting  of  two  distinct  towers, 
separated  from  each  other  by  a  space  of  about  15  feet,  and  only  connected 
by  a  high  wall,  as  shown  by  hatched  lines  on  the  Plan  (Fig.  275).  In 


Pio.  275.— Tho  Old  Place  of  Mnchrum.     Plan. 

this  dual  arrangement  Mochrum  resembles  Ruthven  Castle,  Perthshire, 
according  to  its  original  design,  in  which  two  distinct  keeps  were  sepa- 
rated by  a  space  of  about  9  feet,  afterwards  filled  in  with  a  stair  serving 
to  connect  both.* 

Mochrum  was  in  a  state  of  great  ruin,  roofless  and  broken  down, 
when,  in  1876,  it  was  partly  restored  by  the  Marquis  of  Bute,  who 
shortly  before  had  acquired  the  property.  The  unhatched  part  of  the 
Plan  shows  how  the  two  independent  towers  have  been  connected  by  a 
hall,  with  an  outside  stair  leading  up  to  the  first  floor.  Judging  from  a 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  396. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


350    THE    OLD    PLACE    OP    MOCHRUM 


photograph  taken  while  the  buildings  were  in  ruins,  which  shows  the  east 
side  where  the  new  hall  now  stands,  there  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
previously  any  connection  between  the  two  towers  further  than  the  wall 
above  mentioned. 

It  is  probable  that  a  space  was  enclosed  with  a  wall  on  the  north  and 
west  so  as  to  form  a  courtyard  between  the  two  towers.  At  the  west 
end  of  the  southern  tower  there  exist  the  foundations  of  an  archway  or 
pend,  7  feet  wide  (as  shown  on  Plan),  which  doubtless  formed  the  passage 
into  the  courtyard.  From  the  latter  both  towers  had  their  entrance,  the 


FIG.  276.— The  Old  Place  of  Mochrum.    View  from  North-West. 


door  to  the  south  tower  being  in  the  centre  of  the  north  side,  where  it 
opens  into  a  passage,  off  which  was  the  kitchen  occupying  the  ground  floor. 
At  the  end  of  the  passage,  and  in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  tower,  a 
wheel-staircase  leads  to  the  vaulted  hall,  and  to  the  upper  floors  and  battle- 
ments. The  north  building  enters  by  a  doorway  in  a  tower  which  pro- 
jects into  the  courtyard,  and  contains  the  staircase.  The  southern  build- 
ing measures  29  feet  10  inches  from  east  to  west  by  23  feet  6  inches  from 
north  to  south,  and  the  northern  36  feet  10  inches  from  north  to  south  by 
19  feet  4  inches  from  east  to  west. 

The  south  tower  only  has  been  completely  renovated  and  fitted  up  for 


LITTLEDEAN    CASTLE  -    351    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

occupation,  with  a  communication  formed  to  the  new  hall  in  the  north 
tower,  which  is  only  partially  completed,  but  the  whole  structure  is  suit- 
ably protected  from  the  ravages  of  the  weather. 

The  peculiar  crow-stepped  gables  shown  on  the  north  tower  in  the 
View  (Fig.  276)  are  after  the  old  pattern  of  the  locality.  Similar  crow- 
steps  may  be  seen  on  the  ruined  and  untouched  castle  of  Goldenock  in  the 
same  county,  while  the  ordinary  stepped  gables  shown  on  the  south  tower 
are  probably  a  deviation  made  during  the  restoration. 

The  following  historical  notes  are  extracted  from  Lands  and  their 
Owners  in  Galloway.*  The  lands  of  Mochrum  were  granted  to  Patrick, 
Earl  of  March,  by  David  n.  His  descendants,  the  Dunbars,  continued  in 
possession  till  they  were  acquired  by  the  Marquis  of  Bute.  "  The  least 
ancient  portion  (of  Mochrum)  must  have  been  built  between  1474  and 
1500,  by  Sir  John  Dunbar  (one  of  the  sons  of  Sir  Alexander  Dunbar  of 
Westfield,  Hereditary  Sheriff  of  Morayshire).  His  initials,  I.  D.,  and  his 
arms,  which  denote  him  to  have  sprung  from  the  Randolph  or  Moray 
Dunbars,  are  still  to  be  found  on  the  walls,  and  a  still  older  coat  of  arms 
of  the  March-Dunbars  on  the  oldest  portion  of  the  castle."  These  arms, 
we  find  from  the  same  source,  were  quarterly,  first  and  fourth,  gules,  a 
lion  rampant  or,  within  a  border  of  the  last,  charged  with  eight  roses 
of  the  first,  for  Dunbar,  Earl  of  March ;  second  and  third  or,  three 
escutcheons  within  a  double  tressure,  flory,  counterflory,  gules,  for  Ran- 
dolph, Earl  of  Moray.  So  far  as  we  observed,  none  of  these  heraldic 
insignia  are  now  to  be  seen  at  Mochrum. 

Of  the  two  towers,  we  presume  the  "  least  ancient "  portion  of  the 
building  above  referred  to  is  the  northern  one,  which  is  undoubtedly  the 
latest  structure ;  but  from  the  style  of  the  architecture  it  is  clearly  a 
building  of  the  Fourth  Period.  The  corbelling  near  the  top  of  the 
staircase  turret  is  of  the  small-niembered  kind  usual  at  that  time,  while 
in  plan  the  building  resembles  Carsluith,  built  in  1581.  The  south 
tower,  which  is  certainly  the  older  portion  of  the  castle,  may  probably 
have  been  built  between  1474  and  1500.  Gavin  Dunbar,  the  archbishop, 
was  of  the  house  of  Mochrum. 


LITTLEDEAN   CASTLE,   ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

This  is  a  structure  of  a  very  exceptional  character ;  indeed,  it  is  quite 
unique  in  plan  amongst  Scottish  castles,  and  cannot  be  classed  with  any 
of  the  usual  divisions.  It  is  situated  near  the  Tweed,  about  two  miles 
eastward  from  St.  Boswells. 

The  Plan  (Fig.  277)  is  in  the  shape  of  the  letter  D.  This  peculiar 
form  may  have  been  devised  to  suit  the  situation.  The  castle  stands  on 

*  Vol.  i.  pp.  254-275. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    352    — 


LITTLEDEAN    CASTLE 


the  top  of  the  high  bank  which  rises  above  the  Tweed  on  its  right  side. 
It  is  thus  well  protected  on  the  north,  while  the  deep  ravine  of  a  small 
tributary  gives  similar  defence  on  the  east.  But  on  the  west  and  south,- 
being  the  sides  towards  which  the  curve  of  the  D  is  turned,  the  ground 
rather  rises  away  from  the  castle,  rendering  it  liable  to  attack  from  those 
quarters.  Consequently  we  find  the  wall  well  provided  with  shot-holes 
bearing  in  those  directions,  and  the  door  is  placed  in  the  sheltered  angle 
facing  the  ravine.  The  walls  are  fully  6  feet  in  thickness,  and  are  faced 
with  good  ashlar.  A  string-course  divides  the  height  into  two  stories,  and 
the  top  of  the  wall  has  been  crowned  with  a  corbelled  parapet.  The 
original  structure  has  been  altered,  and  probably  enlarged,  at  a  later  date, 
when  gables  have  been  carried  up  on  the  top,  shaped  to  follow  the  curve 


GROUND  FLOOR  PLAN. 


FIRST  FLOOR  PLAN. 


PIG.  277.  — Littledean  Castle.    Plans. 

of  the  Plan,  and  finished  with  crow-steps  (Fig.  278).  Two  attic  stories 
were  thus  obtained  in  the  roof.  The  original  entrance  door  led  to  a 
narrow  passage,  from  which  a  circular  stair  ascended  to  the  first  floor, 
and  two  doors  opened  into  vaulted  cellars  on  the  ground  floor.  The  first 
floor  contained  the  hall,  with  a  large  fireplace  in  the  centre  of  the  curve  of 
the  D,  and  a  recess  at  either  side,  each  provided  with  two  shot-holes  and 
a  small  window.  There  is  also  a  small  guardroom  over  the  entrance 
door,  with  a  stone  seat  and  ambry.  The  length  of  the  hall  cannot  now 
be  determined,  the  east  wall  being  entirely  demolished.  The  east  end 
has  evidently  been  considerably  altered — fireplaces,  &c.,  having  been 
inserted,  and  an  outer  door  opened  in  the  south  wall  clpse  to  the  original 
entrance  doorway. 

This  castle  belonged  to  a  branch  of  the  Kers  of  Cessford,  but  the 


NUNRAW 


—  353  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


Fto.  278.— Littledean  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

date  of  its  erection  is  unknown.  From  the  style  of  the  work  and  the 
form  of  the  shot-holes,  it  probably  belongs  to  the  end  of  the  Third 
Period. 


NUNRAW,   HADDINQTOKSHIRB. 

An  interesting  old  mansion  of  the  fifteenth  century,  which  has  now 
been  modernised.  It  stands  on  the  top  of  a  bank  round  which  runs  a 
small  stream  in  a  deep  glen,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  north-east  from 
Gifford.  It  contains  a  finely  painted  ceiling,*  with  the  date  1461,  exhibit- 
ing the  usual  armorial  decorations. 

*  A  coloured  drawing  of  this  ceiling,  by  Mr.  Thomas  Bonnar,  is  reproduced  in  the 
sketch  book  of  the  Edinburgh  Architectural  Association,  1875-6. 

z 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    354    — 


NEWBATTLE    ABBEY 


NEWBATTLE  ABBEY,*  MIDLOTHIAN. 

The  site  chosen  for  this  abbey,  which  is  about  two  miles  from 
Dalkeith,  is,  as  was  usual  with  the  buildings  of  the  Cistercian  order,  in  a 
quiet  and  fertile  valley.  It  is  surrounded  with  gentle  wooded  eminences, 
enclosing  rich  meadows,  through  which  flows  the  River  Esk. 

The  existing  mansion,  the  seat  of  the  Marquis  of  Lothian,  occupies 
the  site  of  the  conventual  buildings  which  lay  on  the  east  side  of  the 


'  : ;  v       LJvi7!v7pv/ 

|  i     TRATERy'.v'  j   X'  •   X' 

fc|!'-I^Mi: 


FIG.  279. — Newbattle  Abbey.    Plan. 

cloister  garth  and  to  the  south  of  the  choir  and  south  transept  (shown  in 
outline  by  dotted  lines  on  Plan,  Fig.  279).  Only  small  portions  of  the 
ancient  buildings  now  remain.  Of  these  the  most  important  is  the  fratery, 
with  its  central  row  of  columns  and  vaulted  roof  (Fig.  280).  The  fireplace 
in  the  View  is  modern,  and  the  font  shown  on  the  left  belonged  to  the 
church.  There  are  also  portions  of  old  buildings  at  the  south-east  and 
south-west  corners.  Besides  these  but  little  of  the  ancient  structure 
survives,  the  description  by  Scot  of  Scotstarvet  being  literally  true  that 

*  For  the  Ground  Plan  and  the  drawings  of  mouldings  (Figs.  279  and  280)  we  are 
indebted  to  C.  M.  Patterson,  Esq.,  Eskside  House,  factor  for  the  Marquis  of  Lothian. 


NEWBATTLE    ABBEY 


—  355  — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


THIRD    PERIOD  —    356    —  NEWBATTLE    ABBEY 

Mark  Ker  and  his  son,  the  Earl  of  Lothian,  "  did  so  metamorphose  the 
building  that  it  cannot  be  known  that  ever  it  did  belong  to  the  church,  by 
reason  of  the  fine  new  fabrick  and  stately  edifices  built  thereon,  except 
only  that  the  old  name  and  walls  of  the  precinct  stands  ;  but  instead  of 
the  old  monks  has  succeeded  the  deer."  Here  and  there  throughout  the 
house  old  stones  and  portions  of  building  may  be  detected.  There  is  one 
stone  in  a  passage  on  the  first  floor  with  a  monogram  of  the  letters 
N".  K.  L.  N.,  and  the  date  1580.  The  present  structure  is  a  very  com- 
posite fabric,  and  is  hardly  to  be  regarded  as  a  specimen  of  the  Domestic 
Architecture  of  Scotland.  It  has  been  greatly  added  to  and  altered  at 
various  times,  and  the  description  of  it  in  the  beginning  of  last  century, 
given  in  A  Journey  through  Scotland,*  hardly  applies  now. 

The  writer  says  :  "  The  entry  to  the  Palace  is  as  magnificent  as  can  be 
imagin'd.  In  the  area,  between  the  avenue  and  the  outer  gate,  is  the 
statue  of  a  Gladiator  ;  and  on  each  side  of  the  gate  there  is  a  large  stone 
Pavillion  ;  and  through  four  square  green  courts  you  come  to  the  Palace ; 
each  of  the  three  first  courts  having  rows  of  statues  as  big  as  the  life ;  and 
in  the  fourth  court  the  biggest  Holly  Trees  I  ever  saw.  You  ascend  to  the 
apartments  by  a  great  double  stair  on  the  outside  of  the  House,"  &c. 
Further  on  he  continues:  "  Underneath  the  great  stairs  you  enter  a  paved 
court,  which  makes  the  centre  of  the  House,  and  carries  you  into  the 
gardens."  The  edifice  is  now  a  compact,  comfortable,  and  featureless 
building. 

There  are  preserved  at  Newbattle  the  accounts  of  extensive  alterations 
made  in  1650,  and  again  in  1693  ;  and  in  the  correspondence  of  the  Earls 
of  Ancrum  and  Lothian f  we  find  that,  "according  to  tradition,  the 
building  suffered  by  fire  in  1769." 

Mark  Ker,  second  son  of  Sir  Andrew  Ker  of  Cessford,  was  com- 
mendator  of  Newbottle  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  and  having 
become  a  Protestant  he  kept  the  abbey.  According  to  the  Bannatyne 
volume  already  referred  to,  he  turned  out  the  monks,  and  notwithstanding 
their  frequent  complaints,  "  wald  nevir  gif  thame  ane  penny  to  leif  on." 

Of  the  abbey  church  only  the  foundation  now  remains  (as  shown  on 
the  Plan).  It  was  of  the  usual  Cistercian  plan,  having  a  short  choir  and 
long  nave,  with  a  central  tower  and  transepts.  The  nave  contains  nine 
bays,  and  is  about  167  feet  4  inches  long,  the  central  space  being  about 
25  feet  wide,  and  the  total  width,  including  the  side  aisles  within  the 
walls,  being  about  57  feet.  The  width  of  the  transept  is  about  28  feet, 
and  the  length  of  the  transept  within  the  walls  has  been  about  112  feet. 
The  total  length  of  the  interior  of  the  church  is  239  feet  3  inches. 

The  church  |  was  consecrated  in  1233  by  the  Bishop  of  Moray,  and 
was  burned  in  1385  by  Richard  n.  And  again,  two  years  afterwards,  it 

*  Vol.  in.  p.  52,  published  1723.  J  Scoti-Monasticon,  by  M.  E.  C.  Walcott, 

t  Bannatyne  Club. 


CASTLE   LACHLAN  -    357    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

was  consumed  by  the  English,  "  with  its  peel  castles,"  "  when  the  tower 
was  greatly  injured."  Like  all  the  other  abbeys  south  of  the  Forth,  it 
frequently  suffered  spoliation,  and  probably  the  old  portions  of  the  struc- 
ture enclosed  in  the  present  mansion  (see  Fig.  279)  are  part  of  a  restoration 
effected  by  Abbot  John  Crechtune  in  147-,  after  some  hostile  attack. 

The  details  of  the  stones  found  in  the  ruins  all  seem  to  belong  to  the 
latest  period  of  Gothic  in  Scotland.  Two  monumental  sun-dials  ornament 
the  flower-garden.  They  are  exactly  alike  in  design,  and  a  drawing  of 
one  of  them  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  sun-dials  to  be  given  in  the 
fourth  volume  of  this  work.  Each  stands  on  a  widely-spread  base  of 
steps,  above  which  they  rise  to  a  height  of  about  16  feet.  They  bear  the 
initials  of  Countess  Anne  Kerr,  who  succeeded  in  her  own  right  in  1621. 
Ten  years  afterwards  she  married  Sir  Samuel  Kerr  of  the  Ancrum  family, 
whose  initials  are  likewise  carved  on  the  dials. 

Owing  to  its  monastic  origin  and  the  frequent  alteration  this  mansion 
has  undergone,  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  it  cannot  be  classed  under 
any  of  the  usual  plans  of  Scottish  houses.  It  is  therefore  treated  as  an 
exceptional  plan. 


CASTLE  LACHLAN,*  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

Castle  Lachlan  is  situated  on  the  point  of  a  small  promontory  jutting 
out  from  a  little  bay  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Loch  Fyne.  The  neck  of 
land  which  connects  the  castle  with  the  mainland  is  low  and  marshy,  and 
may  at  an  earlier  period  have  been  covered  with  water,  while  traces  of  a 
moat  can  be  seen  running  across  it. 

The  castle  is  peculiar  and  almost  unique  in  Scotland.  Its  external 
appearance  is  that  of  a  squarish  structure,  measuring  70  feet  from  north 
to  south  by  54  feet  from  east  to  west,  and  43  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the 
battlements,  with  walls  perfectly  plain  and  crenellated  along  the  top.  It 
has  thus  the  appearance  of  a  great  keep  ;  but  on  going  inside  it  is  found 
to  consist  (Fig.  281)  of  two  tenements,  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  a 
narrow  open  court  or  corridor,  12  feet  6  inches  wide  by  34  feet  3  inches 
long.  These  two  blocks  are  connected  at  the  north  end  by  a  small  build- 
ing containing  a  room  about  8  feet  by  7  feet,  and  a  wheel-staircase. 

It  is  evident  from  the  rows  of  corbels  in  the  wall  next  the  courtyard  on 
the  upper  floor  of  the  east  tenement  (Fig.  282)  that  wooden  hoardings  have 
been  projected  from  it  into  the  court,  so  as  to  form  an  overhanging  passage 
giving  access  to  the  rooms  on  the  second  floor.  A  similar  overhanging 
passage  existed  at  the  first  floor  level  of  the  small  north  building,  and 

*  We  are  indebted  to  John  Maclachlan,  Esq.  of  Maclachlan,  for  the' use  of  MSS. 
notes  in  his  possession  relating  to  this  castle,  describing  its  condition  in  1830,  as  also 
for  other  assistance. 


THIRD    PERIOD 


—    358    — 


CASTLE    LACHLAN 


formed  a  communication  between  the  hall  in  the  west  block  and  the  stair 
leading  to  the  east  block.  Entrance  to  this  wheel-stair  (in  the  north  build- 
ing) was  obtained  from  the  courtyard  by  the  door  on  the  ground  floor. 
On  the  first  floor  it  gave  access  to  the  hall  by  one  of  the  overhanging 
passages,  and  on  the  second  floor  to  the  rooms  in  the  east  block  by  the 
other. 

The  Sketch  shows  the  corbels  which  carried  the  floor  of  these  passages, 


PLAN    OF   FIRST     FLOOR 


FIG.  281.— Castle  Lachlan.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

as  well  as  those  which  supported  the  timber  runtree  of  the  roof,  in  a 
groove  cut  out  of  the  corbels.  Above  the  latter  is  a  projecting  water 
table,  which  covered  the  junction  of  the  sloping  roof  and  the  wall. 

The  original  part  of  Hermitage  Castle,  illustrated  in  Yol.  I.  p.  528, 
has  a  considerable  resemblance  in  its  general  disposition  to  that  found 
here.  The  main  structure  measures  76  feet  by  48  feet,  and  has  an  open 
courtyard  in  the  centre,  but  it  is  of  a  much  more  ancient  date  than 
Lachlan.  Ardchonnel  Castle  (illustrated  in  this  volume)  has,  within  an 


CASTLE    LACHLAN 


—    359    — 


TIIIUU    PEKIOU 


PIG.  282.— Castle  Lachlan.    View  of  Courtyard,  looking  North. 


THIRD  PERIOD  -  360  —  CASTLE  LACHLAN 

ancient  enclosure,  had  later  buildings  added  till  it  has  become  a  struc- 
ture embodying  the  same  idea. 

The  approach  to  the  castle  is  from  the  east,  by  a  short  steep  pathway 
along  the  south  side,  protected  by  a  wall  (as  shown  on  the  Ground  Floor 
Plan).  The  doorway,  which  has  the  usual  bar-hole  and  wall  recess,  leads 
directly  into  the  court,  from  which  the  ground  floor  apartments,  which  are 
all  vaulted,  enter.  There  are  three  divisions  on  the  west  side,  measuring 
8  feet  high  to  the  vault,  and  two  on  the  east  side  measuring  14  feet  in 
height.  One  of  the  former  is  marked  as  the  kitchen,  on  the  authority  of 
a  sketch  plan  belonging  to  Mr.  Maclachlan,  in  which  the  fireplace  is  shown 
at  the  west  wall ;  but  this  is  the  most  ruinous  part  of  the  castle,  and  the 
point  is  not  quite  clear.  The  cellar  adjoining  has  a  shot-hole  (the  only 
one  in  the  castle)  in  the  outer  wall  and  a  window  to  the  courtyard,  while 
the  one  to  the  north  is  entirely  dark.  The  two  eastern  rooms  get  all  their 
light  from  the  courtyard. 

In  an  arched  recess  in  the  small  building  at  the  north  end  of  the 
courtyard  ar'e  still  to  be  found  the  ruins  of  the  well.  Its  position  is  shown 
on  the  Plan  and  in  the  View. 

Two  wheel-stairs  lead  from  the  courtyard  to  the  upper  floors  and  to 
the  battlements,  which  run  round  the  castle  on  the  top,  but  the  doorways 
leading  to  them  are  all  built  up,  as  are  also  many  of  the  other  doors  and 
windows  throughout  the  castle  (as  shown  by  hatched  lines  on  the  Plans). 
The  door  to  the  staircase  adjoining  the  main  entrance  was,  we  believe,  in 
the  position  indicated  on  the  Ground  Floor  Plan,  and  it  appears  to  have 
been  covered  with  some  kind  of  wooden  hood,  the  corbels  for  supporting 
which  will  be  seen  in  the  View  looking  towards  the  entrance  (Fig.  283). 

The  MS.  states  that  from  the  side  of  the  north  stair  "a  small  trap-door 
and  stair  led  down  at  the  back  of  the  well,  and  terminated  at  the  beach, 
doubtless  to  serve  in  any  emergency." 

In  the  thick  part  of  the  central  wall  of  the  east  building,  where  the 
hatched  lines  are  shown  on  the  Plan,  there  is  a  stair  from  the  cellars  to 
the  second  floor  ;  it  is  now  inaccessible. 

The  hall  occupies  the  whole  of  the  western  keep,  and  measures  about 
40  feet  by  20  feet.  It  was  reached  by  the  stair  adjoining  the  entrance  to 
the  court  as  well  as  by  the  stair  in  the  north  building,  as  already  described. 
It  had  a  large  and  handsome  fireplace  in  the  east  side.  An  enlarged 
section  of  the  jambs  is  shown  on  the  Plan.  There  were  three  outside 
windows  in  the  hall.  Those  of  the  west  side  are  of  different  heights  and 
sizes,  and  of  the  one  in  the  south  wall  only  an  indication  remains,  the 
portions  of  the  First  Floor  Plan  left  untinted  at  the  south-west  and  north- 
east corners  having  fallen  entirely  away.  Two  other  windows  from  the 
hall  look  into  the  courtyard  ;  the  one  adjoining  the  fireplace  is  about  6 
feet  up  from  the  floor  to  the  sill,  the  other  is  at  the  ordinary  height,  and 
is  quite  small.  These  windows  have  had  leaded  glass  let  into  the  stone 


CASTLE    LACHLAN 


—    361    — 


THIRD    PERIOD 


work  at  the  lower  part,  and  have  probably  had  the  upper  part  closed  in 
with  some  kind  of  shutters.  The  small  room  entering  off  the  hall  over  the 
well  is  inaccessible. 

According  to  the  MS.,  another  great  hall  extended  over  the  existing 
hall,  with  an  oak  floor  supported  by  beams  resting  on  the  stone  corbels. 
This  was  the  "  council  room  and  gathering  hall  on  festal  occasions,"  and 
"  was  called  by  the  people  Seomar  Mulaic,  or  upper  chamber."  In  the 
floor  above  this  were  the  family  apartments. 

The  east  tenement  is  divided  on  the  first  floor  into  two  rooms,  each 
containing  a  garde-robe,  through  which  flues  descend  from  garde-robes 
in  the  floors  above  ;  one  of  the  flues  opens  on  the  battlements.  We  have 


FIG.  283. — Castle  Lachlan.    View  in  Courtyard,  looking  towards  Entrance. 

been  informed  that  in  one  of  these  flues  there  was  found,  about  twelve 
years  ago,  a  number  of  small  square  tiles  with  Scripture  subjects  painted  on 
them. 

The  MS.  states  that  a  portion  of  the  attic  floor  remained  to  a  certain 
degree  intact  in  1830,  and  was  known  as  the  "laird's  bedroom."  "The 
rafters  and  some  of  the  ceilings  still  remained,  and  the  plastering  was 
unbroken." 

Since  the  above  date  the  castle  has  greatly  deteriorated  (see  Fig.  284). 
The  writer  of  the  MS.  saw  it  then  with  all  its  external  walls  entire, 
"  ramparted  on  the  four  sides,  and  with  embrasures  at  equal  distances 
apart."  He  further  says:  "The  north  corner"  (now  fallen)  "had  a  jetty, 
substantially  trussed,  attached  to  it."  This  doubtless  means  an  over- 


THIRD    PERIOD 


362    — 


CASTLE   LACHLAN 


hanging  turret.  The  west  corner  (south-west  on  Plan)  was  surmounted 
by  a  small  tower  or  lantern,  which  served  the  double  purpose  of  watch- 
tower  and  beacon  for  the  guidance  of  friends  who  might  be  seaward  ; 
while  on  the  south  wall  there  was  a  gable  (called  a  pediment)  "  which 
helped  to  support  a  conical  roof  over  the  main  staircase." 


PIG.  284.— Castle  Lachlan.    View  from  North-West. 

The  castle  continued  to  be  the  residence  of  the  Maclachlans  till  1746, 
when  the  Government  sent  a  warship  to  destroy  the  strongholds  of  the 
Jacobite  chiefs  along  the  Western  coast,  but  little  damage  was  done  to 
Castle  Lachlan,  then  inhabited  by  the  widowed  lady  and  her  children, 
with  a  few  aged  domestics.  They  fled,  and  remained  in  Appin  for  some 
years  ;  and  on  the  young  laird's  return  he  found  the  castle  going  to  ruin, 
and  it  has  never  again  been  occupied. 


CASTLE    LACHLAN  -    363    -  THIRD    PERIOD 

The  writer  of  the  MS.  supposes  that  the  castle  was  built  between  the 
years  1330  and  1340.  This  date  is  too  early  by  at  least  a  century  ;  it  is 
much  likelier  to  be  the  date  of  the  ancient  castle  which  stood  on  an  island 
in  the  loch  not  far  distant,  and  which  is  believed  to  have  been  an  earlier 
residence  of  the  family,  but  of  which  we  know  nothing. 

The  general  character  of  the  structure  and  the  details  seem  to  indicate 
a  castle  of  the  Third  Period.  The  projecting  wooden  passages  recall  those 
at  Crichton  Castle,  and  the  elliptical  arches  resemble  those  of  Doune 
Castle. 

The  steps  and  corner  stones  are  built  of  the  blue  micaceous  stone  of 
the  locality,  and  the  place  where,  centuries  ago,  the  builders  quarried  the 
stones  of  the  stairs  may  be  seen  close  to  the  castle. 

It  is  satisfactory  to  be  able  to  add  that  the  ruins  of  this  interesting 
pile  have  recently  been  carefully  pointed  and  cemented,  so  as  to  protect 
them  as  far  as  possible  from  the  ravages  of  the  weather. 


I 


THE   CASTELLATED   AND   DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE   OF   SCOTLAND. 

FOURTH   PERIOD— 1542  TO  1700. 

THE  conditions,  whether  historical  or  architectural,  which  accompanied 
and  produced  this,  the  latest  development  of  our  Scottish  style,  have 
been  so  fully  discussed  in  the  Introduction  to  the  Fourth  Period  in 
Vol.  n.  and  in  the  introductory  remarks  to  this  volume,  that  it  is 
unnecessary  to  do  more  here  than  to  remind  the  reader  of  the  main  facts. 

After  the  death  of  James  v.  the  country  was  plunged  into  the  dis- 
tractions and  difficulties  of  a  long  minority.  The  infant-heiress  of  the 
throne  was  only  a  few  days  old,  and  the  country  was  committed  to  the 
care  of  the  indolent  and  fickle  Regent  Arran.  The  queen's  mother 
and  the  French  party  having  thwarted  Henry  vni.  in  his  scheme  for 
marrying  the  young  queen  to  his  son,  the  King  of  England  resolved  on 
a  bloody  revenge.  He  sent  an  army  into  Scotland,  and  devastated  the 
southern  counties  in  a  fiercer  and  more  unsparing  manner  than  any  of 
his  predecessors.  All  the  towers,  castles,  and  houses  of  every  kind,  and 
even  the  churches  and  monasteries,  of  the  south-east  of  Scotland,  were 
destroyed  by  the  relentless  hands  of  Surrey  and  Somerset.  It  is  there- 
fore not  surprising  to  find  almost  no  examples  of  domestic  architecture 
in  this  region  save  desolated  ruins.  Those  structures  which  are  observable 
in  a  comparatively  entire  condition  are  either  of  later  date  than  the  middle 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  or  are  restorations  of  ancient  structures. 

We  occasionally  meet  with  some  examples  of  ruined  Border  towers  of 
the  sixteenth  century  ;  but  the  most  of  the  edifices  illustrated  in  this 
district  are  of  more  recent  date,  and  partake  largely  of  the  Renaissance 
character.  From  the  west  and  north  of  Scotland,  however,  where  distance 
from  the  scene  of  danger  gave  comparative  security,  a  considerable  number 
of  sixteenth-century  examples  are  produced. 

During  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  who  aided  the  Reformers,  a  continual 
struggle  was  maintained  between  the  Lords  of  the  Congregation  and  the 
French  garrison;  and  after  the  return  of  Queen  Mary,  the  endless  factions 
of  her  reign  kept  the  country  in  a  constant  turmoil.  It  was  not  till  the 


INTRODUCTORY  -    365   -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

quieter  and  more  settled  times  of  James  vi.  that  leisure  and  means  were 
found  for  building  operations. 

In  the  few  structures  erected  in  Queen  Mary's  time,  therefore,  we 
shall  find,  as  might  be  expected,  a  continuance  of  the  more  rugged  and 
warlike  features  of  our  style ;  while  during  the  reign  of  her  son  the 
domestic  architecture  presents  a  reflection  of  his  more  peaceful  epoch 
in  the  transition  of  Scottish  architecture,  under  the  influence  of  the 
Renaissance  taste,  from  a  rude  and  military  aspect  to  one  of  picturesque- 
ness  and  domesticity. 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  how  this  was  led  up  to  by  the  condi- 
tions and  circumstances  of  the  time.  The  first  germs  of  the  Renaissance 
had  been  sown  in  the  reign  of  James  v.,  and  had  now  taken  root,  and 
were  ready  to  burst  forth  on  the  first  favourable  opportunity.  The  intro- 
duction of  artillery  had  rendered  castles  comparatively  useless  as  fortresses, 
and  all  that  was  now  required  was  sufficient  strength  to  resist  sudden 
attack,  and  proper  dispositions  for  the  employment  of  firearms.  The 
secularisation  of  the  greater  proportion  of  the  Church  lands  supplied  the 
gentry  with  the  necessary  funds  for  building ;  while  the  closer  connection 
with  England  encouraged  a  taste  for  improved  accommodation  and  more 
refinement  and  elegance  in  the  design  of  the  mansions.  There  thus 
occurred  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  and  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
centuries  a  great  revival  of  architectural  activity  in  the  country. 

We  shall  find  the  changes  introduced  by  the  above  conditions  well 
exemplified  in  the  edifices  erected  by  the  wealthier  proprietors,  both  in 
town  and  country.  We  shall  also  notice  that  the  old  traditional  plans  of 
the  L  form  and  the  simple  keep  are  still  adhered  to  (with  certain  modifi- 
cations) in  the  great  majority  of  the  country  houses  of  the  period.  In 
many  of  these  houses — such,  for  instance,  as  the  Border  keeps — the 
arrangements  are  as  primitive  as  in  the  fourteenth  century,  the  conditions 
of  life  amongst  the  Border  clans  being  probably  but  little  changed  during 
the  300  years  which  had  elapsed.  In  other  examples,  however,  tokens 
of  advancement  are  visible  in  the  greater  number  and  varied  uses  of  the 
apartments  introduced,  and  in  the  separation  of  the  kitchen  and  offices 
from  the  living  rooms.  The  simple  form  of  the  plan  is  also  frequently 
modified  with  breaks  or  projections,  while  some  remarkable  variations 
affecting  the  external  appearance  are  produced. 

The  Courtyard  Plan  is  also  of  frequent  use,  and  is  gradually  assimilated 
to  the  peaceful  and  well-ordered  dispositions  which  had  first  been  employed 
in  the  royal  palaces  during  the  previous  period,  but  were  now  extended  to 
many  of  the  larger  mansions  throughout  the  land.  Public  buildings  on 
this  plan  are  now  for  the  first  time  introduced,  in  examples  such  as 
Heriot's  Hospital  and  Glasgow  College. 

Several  new  forms  of  plan  also  took  their  rise  during  this  period. 
These  we  have  designated  the  Z  Plan,  the  T  Plan,  and  the  E  Plan. 


FOURTH    PERIOD  -    366    -  INTRODUCTORY 

The  first  consists  of  a  rectangular  main  block  (similar  to  the  simple 
keeps),  with  a  tower  at  two  of  the  angles  situated  diagonally  opposite 
each  other.  This  form  of  plan  owes  its  origin  chiefly  to  the  use  of  fire- 
arms, which  became  common  at  this  time,  the  diagonally  opposite  towers 
being  so  situated  as  to  enable  all  the  four  walls  of  the  central  keep  to  be 
protected  with  flanking  fire  from  shot-holes  pierced  in  them.  These 
towers  also  afforded  a  considerable  amount  of  bedroom  accommodation 
such  as  was  then  in  demand.  The  circular  towers  are  often  corbelled  out 
to  a  square  form  near  the  top ;  and  these  corbellings,  together  with  the 
staircase  turrets  in  the  angles,  are  often  productive  of  striking  effects 
(see  Clay  potts,  Ballone,  &c.)  The  Z  Plan  was  a  great  favourite  at  this 
period,  a  number  of  the  largest  castles  being  erected  on  that  model. 
Castle  Eraser  is  a  noble  example,  in  which  one  of  the  towers  is  round 
and  the  other  square.  By  that  means  considerable  variety  was  given  to 
the  external  appearance. 

This  form  of  plan,  however,  was  only  employed  at  a  specific  period, 
viz.,  when  defence  with  firearms  was  of  paramount  importance.  After 
the  necessity  for  such  fortification  had  disappeared,  the  Z  Plan  was 
gradually  abandoned,  and  other  forms  of  a  more  domestic  type  took 
its  place.  The  chief  of  these  was  the  T  Plan.  This  consists  of  an  oblong 
block  of  sufficient  length  to  contain  two  apartments,  separated  by  a 
partition  in  the  centre,  opposite  which,  and  projecting  from  one  side, 
is  a  tower  containing  the  entrance  doorway  and  circular  staircase.  The 
latter  gives  access  from  a  landing,  by  separate  doors,  to  the  two  rooms 
on  each  floor. 

The  E  Plan  is  also  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  later  part  of  the 
Fourth  Period.  It  consists  of  the  usual  main  oblong  block,  with  a  wing 
projecting  at  either  end  from  the  same  side  of  the  structure.  There  is 
likewise  sometimes  a  central  projection  as  in  the  letter  E.  From  examples 
of  this  form  it  will  be  observed  that  it  affords  a  large  amount  of  accom- 
modation. The  E  Plan  also  indicates  the  tendency  of  the  period  towards 
symmetry  in  planning.  These  modifications  of  the  traditional  plans,  of 
which  numerous  examples  will  be  represented  in  the  fourth  volume,  all 
show  advancement  and  improvement  in  domestic  comfort.  But  the  one 
which  was  found  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  time  most  conveniently 
was  undoubtedly  the  L  Plan.  That  form  (although  lacking  in  symmetry) 
maintained  precedence  amongst  all  the  other  designs  of  tower-built  houses, 
by  far  the  largest  number  of  the  mansions  of  the  period  being  erected  on 
the  L  Plan.  The  L  Plan  and  the  Courtyard  Plan  accordingly  survived 
all  the  others,  and  have  continued  to  be  used  till  the  present  day. 

In  nearly  all  the  earlier  Scottish  castles  and  houses  the  principal 
rooms  are  on  the  first  floor,  the  ground  floor  being  occupied  with  the 
vaulted  kitchen,  offices,  and  cellars.  This  construction  was  originally 
adopted  for  defensive  purposes — the  vaulted  basement,  with  its  small 


INTRODUCTORY  -    367    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

loops,  giving  considerable  security  both  against  assault  and  tire.  The 
ground  floor  was  also  found  convenient  in  later  times  for  containing  the 
kitchen  and  cellars,  while  the  principal  rooms  above  had  the  advantage 
of  dryness  and  good  look-out.  But  this  arrangement,  although  still 
general,  was  not  now  universal ;  and  in  several  examples — such  as 
Magdalen's  House,  Argyll's  Lodging,  and  Heriot's  Hospital — we  find 
the  hall  or  dining-room  situated  on  the  ground  floor.  The  internal 
features  of  the  plan  also  came  to  be  greatly  modified  and  improved, 
especially  after  Scotland  and  England  were  more  closely  united  by  the 
accession  of  James  to  the  English  throne.  The  wheel-stair  had  hitherto 
been  the  almost  invariable  form  in  Scottish  houses.  The  first  flight  from 
the  entrance  door  to  the  principal  floor  was  during  the  Fourth  Period 
generally  a  wide  one,  and  occupied  a  special  staircase  tower.  From  the 
first  floor  access  was  obtained  to  the  rooms  on  the  upper  floors  by  spiral 
stairs  generally  placed  in  turrets  corbelled  out  to  receive  them  in  the 
angles,  or  wherever  required.  Elcho  Castle  presents  a  very  striking 
instance  of  this  arrangement,  having  a  wide  stair  to  the  first  floor,  and 
numerous  turret  stairs  inserted  where  needed  in  order  to  give  separate 
access  to  all  the  bedrooms  on  the  upper  floors — the  idea  of  one  principal 
staircase  leading  to  the  various  stories,  with  a  corridor  on  each  floor 
giving  access  to  the  different  apartments,  having  not  yet  been  entertained. 
In  the  seventeenth  century  straight  stairs  were  gradually  introduced 
and  carried  up  in  wide  flights,  at  first  only  to  the  principal  floor,  but 
afterwards  to  the  upper  floors  also.  Examples  of  different  stages  of  this 
gradual  progress  may  be  seen  in  Craigievar,  Dunnottar,  and  Crichton 
Castles.  Various  other  new  features  of  the  plan,  such  as  bow  windows 
and  porches,  also  now  became  more  common. 

In  Vol.  ii.  the  changes  which  took  place  during  the  Fourth  Period 
in  the  external  aspect  and  decorative  features  of  the  Scottish  style  are 
described  at  length.  We  shall  therefore  now  only  shortly  recapitulate 
them. 

The  numerous  towers,  and  staircase  and  angle  turrets  above  referred 
to,  added  much  to  the  picturesque  effect  of  the  exterior.  The  absorption 
of  the  open  parapet  walk  and  open  bartizans  into  the  interior  structure, 
and  the  erection  of  dormer  windows  and  conical  roofs  in  connection  with 
that  alteration  of  design,  had  also  great  influence  in  changing  the  appear- 
ance of  the  edifices  from  a  somewhat  heavy  and  military  aspect  to  one  of 
lightness  and  domesticity.  The  ornaments  derived  from  the  originally 
massive  corbelling  were  now  modified  into  ornamental  bands  of  chequered 
work,  and  the  crenellations  of  the  parapet  were  imitated  in  the  decorative 
zig-zag  or  label  work  so  much  employed  in  connection  with  the  corbelling 
of  the  parapet  and  turrets. 

Notwithstanding  the  tenacity  with  which  the  national  style  of  our 
Scottish  buildings  was  adhered  to,  it  was  at  this  period  considerably 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —    368   -  INTRODUCTORY 

affected  by  the  Renaissance  feeling  which  pervaded  the  whole  of  Europe. 
The  general  character  of  the  late  Gothic  work  everywhere  was  marked 
by  the  abundant  use  of  steep  roofs  broken  up  with  pointed  dormers,  and 
crowned  with  lofty  clustered  chimneys,  by  numerous  towers  and  turrets 
with  tall  pointed  roofs,  and  by  the  frequent  use  of  timber  quartering  with 
rows  of  corbels  boldly  projected  and  strutted  at  every  floor  to  sustain  the 
overhanging  stories.  The  Scottish  Architecture  of  the  corresponding 
date  naturally  followed  the  same  general  dispositions.  But  there  was 
one  respect  in  which  the  development  of  these  features  in  Scotland 
differed  from  that  elsewhere.  Being  a  country  in  which  good  building 
stone  abounds,  while  timber  suitable  for  building  purposes  was  scarce,  it  is 
not  surprising  to  find  that  many  of  the  above  ideas  which  were  elsewhere 
executed  in  woodwork,  were  here  carried  out  in  masonry.  It  is  especially 
to  be  observed  that  almost  every  structure  of  the  Fourth  Period  exhibits 
a  certain  amount  of  stone  corbelling  in  its  design,  while  in  many  it 
constitutes  the  leading  feature.  This  indicates  how  the  Scottish  archi- 
tects, while  following  the  general  character  of  the  style  prevalent  at 
the  time,  brought  it  into  subjection  to  their  own  requirements,  and  carried 
it  out  in  their  own  way. 

The  unsettled  condition  of  the  country  also  tended  to  prolong  many 
of  the  defensive  expedients  which  in  other  countries  had  been  abandoned. 
Thus  angle  turrets  were  retained  and  provided  with  shot-holes  through 
the  corbelling.  For  the  same  reason  shot-holes  were  inserted  under 
every  window  sill,  and  wherever  required,  to  command  all  important 
and  exposed  points,  the  entrance  doorway  being  always  well  covered. 
We  have  seen  how  defence  with  firearms  influenced  the  planning  of  houses, 
and  produced  the  Z  Plan.  The  same  necessity  for  protection  could  not 
fail  to  influence  the  character  of  the  external  design  generally.  It  has 
already  been  pointed  out  that  the  introduction  of  the  Renaissance  at  the 
late  period  to  which  defensive  elements  were  retained  in  Scotland  had  a 
material  effect  on  our  later  architecture ;  for,  while  in  England  and  on 
the  Continent  the  transition  from  a  warlike  to  a  domestic  style  occurred 
during  the  late  Gothic  period,  the  same  change  did  not  take  place  in 
Scotland  till  after  the  general  acceptance  of  the  Renaissance.  The  result 
was  that  here  we  have  military  features  mingled  with  Renaissance  work, 
whereas  elsewhere  they  are  generally  combined  with  late  Gothic  work — 
a  fact  which  has  not  been  sufficiently  considered  by  those  who  think  that 
Scottish  architecture  is  a  mere  copy  of  that  of  France.  This  circumstance 
alone  would  be  quite  sufficient  to  demolish  that  fanciful  theory. 

Although  some  examples  of  French  Renaissance  had  been  imported 
by  James  v.  into  Scotland  early  in  the  sixteenth  century,  as  in  the  palaces 
at  Stirling  and  Falkland,  it  was  not  till  nearly  a  century  later  that  Ren- 
aissance design  became  general  throughout  the  country.  The  work  of  the 
French  artists  brought  over  by  James  is  quite  isolated,  and  seems  to 


INTRODUCTORY  369    FOURTH    PERIOD 

have  produced  little  or  no  influence  on  the  art  of  the  kingdom  at  the 
time.  It  was  not,  indeed,  till  the  Union  of  the  Crowns  had  brought 
Scotland  into  close  connection  with  England  that  the  Renaissance 
became  general. 

The  growth  of  that  style,  here  as  elsewhere,  was  very  gradual,  its  first 
influence  being  as  usual  exerted  upon  the  details.  Architraves  of  a  rude 
and  bold  description  were  substituted  for  simple  mouldings  round  door  and 
window  openings,  and  the  gablets  of  dormers  gradually  assumed  fantastic 
shapes.  Elaborate  interpenetrating  ornaments  appeared  over  doors  and 
windows,  balustrades  took  the  place  of  crenellated  parapets,  and  finally 
the  whole  structure  became  transformed  under  the  permeating  influence 
of  the  new  style. 

The  course  of  the  transition  from  the  Scottish  to  the  Renaissance 
style  is  most  interesting  to  follow,  and  the  result,  as  seen  in  such  a 
progressive  series  of  edifices  as  Argyll's  Lodging  at  Stirling,  Glasgow 
College,  and  Heriot's  Hospital,  is  very  charming. 

It  has  already  been  shown  that  the  Renaissance  first  affected  the  in- 
terior elements.  The  Scottish  mansions  of  the  earlier  periods  had  probably 
never  been  remarkable  for  the  elegance  and  finish  of  their  internal  decora- 
tions, so  that  when  a  demand  arose  amongst  the  Scottish  nobles,  as  the 
result  of  their  contact  with  their  more  refined  neighbours  in  the  South, 
for  greater  comfort  and  taste  in  interior  accommodation,  the  work  was 
naturally  carried  out  in  the  Renaissance  style  then  prevalent  in  England. 
But  the  external  Scottish  architecture,  having  a  strong  individuality, 
was  not  easily  overcome,  and  asserted  itself  long  after  the  interior  details 
were  completely  changed. 

The  subject  of  the  remarkable  development  of  the  angle  turrets  so 
characteristic  of  the  Fourth  Period,  and  their  relation  to  the  gables,  has 
been  amply  discussed  in  Vol.  u.  p.  10.  When  the  turrets  had  grown 
to  be  of  considerable  size,  they  were  naturally  looked  upon  as  small 
rooms,  being  quite  as  large  as  many  of  the  apartments  in  the  wings 
and  towers  of  the  castles.  This  led  to  their  being  still  further  increased 
in  diameter ;  and  in  order  to  keep  up  a  proportion  between  their  width 
and  their  height,  it  became  necessary  to  extend  them  through  several 
stories.  Thus  at  Glamis  and  Castle  Fraser  the  angle  turrets  are  two 
stories  in  height,  while  at  Earl  Patrick's  Palace  they  are  corbelled  out 
over  the  basement  and  carried  up  through  the  whole  elevation  above. 
In  the  latter  edifice  we  have  a  striking  illustration  of  the  course  of  the 
progress  of  the  Scottish  style.  As  late  as  the  beginning  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  we  find  the  external  features  of  the  national  style  firmly 
adhered  to,  but  we  also  notice  a  change  taking  place  in  the  mode  of 
applying  them.  Thus  at  the  Kirkwall  Palace,  although  corbelled  angle 
turrets  with  Scottish  mouldings  are  still  employed,  their  original  purpose 
is  departed  from,  and  they  are  here  adopted  either  as  small  independent 

2  A 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —    370   INTRODUCTORY 

chambers  or  as  open  recesses  in  the  large  rooms.  They  have  thus  almost 
been  converted  into  bow  windows,  similar  to  the  large  oriels  introduced 
beside  them.  This,  it  may  be  remarked,  is  a  purpose  which  the  angle 
towers  admirably  serve  in  many  modern  mansions.  We  here  detect  one 
feature  of  the  Scottish  style  in  the  act  of  transition  from  the  defensive 
turret  to  the  angle  bow,  a  design  of  common  and  most  attractive  treat- 
ment throughout  Germany  during  the  Renaissance.  A  few  steps  further 
in  the  same  direction  would  have  completely  transformed  the  Scottish 
style  and  made  it  suitable,  when  divested  of  all  its  warlike  elements,  for 
the  domestic  purposes  of  more  peaceful  times.  But,  unfortunately,  this 
was  prevented  by  the  advent  of  the  Renaissance.  Already  several 
features  of  peaceful  domestic  architecture  were  being  brought  in  from 
England,  such  as  bow  windows,  porches,  &c.  The  former  delightful 
adjuncts  of  the  English  mansions  of  the  sixteenth  century  had  hitherto 
been  almost  unknown  in  Scotland,  but  were  now  introduced  and  very 
effectively  carried  out  in  the  Scottish  style,  in  examples  such  as  Castle 
Huntly,  the  Castle  of  Maybole,  and  in  the  above  cited  example  at 
Kirk  wall.  Porches  also  now  began  to  be  employed  in  front  of  entrance 
doors,  but  these  and  door-pieces  generally,  being  comparatively  small, 
were  speedily  taken  possession  of  by  the  Renaissance. 

The  exterior  details  of  the  Scottish  style,  however,  died  hard.  Even 
when  supposed  to  be  converted  to  the  new  style,  they  still  retained  for  a 
long  time  some  reminiscences  of  their  former  shape.  The  architraves 
round  doors  and  windows,  although  intended  to  be  classic,  generally 
consist  of  a  great  roll  and  hollow  in  addition  to  the  O.  G.  moulding 
which  forms  the  outer  frame  of  the  architrave,  while  the  cornices, 
although  classic  in  general  form,  continue  to  employ  many  of  the  earlier 
enrichments  derived  from  the  corbelling.  The  windows  and  dormers  also 
still  exhibit  shafts  and  bands  recalling  some  of  the  Gothic  elements  of  an 
earlier  time.  That  our  Scottish  domestic  style  might  have  been  gradually 
transformed  into  a  peaceful  one,  as  national  and  distinctive  as  that  of 
earlier  times,  and  as  well  suited  to  the  requirements  of  modern  habits 
and  needs,  can  hardly  be  questioned.  If  we  consider  the  design  of  such 
simple  mansions  as  Fountainhall,  we  see  at  a  glance  that  the  general  idea 
is  Scottish.  We  have  only  to  imagine  Scottish  details  substituted  for  the 
Renaissance  ones  of  the  doors,  windows,  and  dormers,  in  order  to  perceive 
the  natural  and  simple  manner  in  which  our  national  style  might  have 
been  preserved  and  modified  so  as  to  suit  modern  notions  of  what  is 
becoming  in  a  domestic  structure,  simple  but  expressive  of  its  character. 

The  powerful  and  speedy  influence  of  the  Renaissance  on  the  internal 
design  and  finishings  of  Scottish  mansions  has  already  been  adverted  to. 
So  great  was  that  influence  that  almost  all  the  interior  details  which 
survive  are  of  the  Renaissance  type.  The  walls  of  the  apartments  are 
almost  invariably  panelled  in  wood,  the  panels  being  frequently  divided 


INTRODUCTORY  -  371  -  FOURTH  PERIOD 

by  fluted  pilasters  with  Corinthian  or  Ionic  caps  and  bases.  The  latter  rest 
on  a  surbase,  and  are  finished  with  a  classic  cornice  either  of  wood  or  plaster. 
The  chief  decoration  is  lavished  on  the  ceilings,  which  are  executed  in 
plaster,  and  in  the  case  of  principal  rooms  are  almost  invariably  divided 
with  moulded  ribs  into  fanciful  panels,  the  fields  of  which  are  frequently 
enriched  with  monograms,  medallions,  or  heraldic  emblems.  Of  these 
decorations  the  past  and  present  volumes  contain  numerous  examples. 
This  was  doubtless  part  of  the  Renaissance  style  of  design  imported  from 
England.  Towards  the  middle  and  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  this 
light  and  elegant  style  of  plaster  work  gave  place  to  heavier  forms,  in 
which  the  ceilings  were  divided  into  large  panels  surrounded  with  massive 
mouldings,  enriched  with  groups  of  fruit  and  foliage.  Much  of  this  orna- 
ment was  modelled  by  hand  (not  cast,  like  ordinary  plaster  work),  and 
contains  fine  design  and  workmanship. 

The  large  panels  in  the  ceilings  and  the  wall  panels,  especially  those 
over  the  mantelpieces,  were  frequently  filled  with  good  paintings.  Fine 
examples  of  all  these  styles  of  decoration  were  at  one  time  not  uncommon 
in  the  Old  Town  of  Edinburgh,  but  they  are  now  becoming  very  rare. 
Some  specimens,  partly  demolished  and  partly  still  existing,  from  old 
Edinburgh  houses,  are,  however,  included  in  this  series. 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  in  the  Introduction  to  this  volume 
how  the  national  style  spread  its  influence  over  every  kind  of  structure, 
including  churches  and  monuments,  town  halls,  &c.,  until  obliterated  by 
the  Renaissance.  A  considerable  number  of  examples  of  these  structures 
still  survive,  and  are  illustrated  in  Vol.  iv.  To  these  are  added  a  large 
series  of  drawings  of  sun-dials,  a  species  of  ornamental  sculpture  in  which 
Scotland  is  peculiarly  prolific. 

The  result  of  the  whole  subject  is,  that  from  the  thirteenth  to  the 
seventeenth  century  there  existed  in  Scotland  a  style  of  architecture 
which  extended  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  kingdom,  includ- 
ing the  islands,  while  it  was  limited  in  geographical  extent  by  the 
boundaries  of  Scotland,  and  was  practised  nowhere  else.  This  style 
adapted  itself  during  all  those  centuries  to  the  various  needs  of  the 
country,  whether  in  prosperity  or  adversity.  It  was  found  suitable  for 
all  kinds  of  structures,  and  was  modified  as  required  so  as  to  be  applic- 
able to  the  great  castles  of  the  First  Period  and  the  rude  keeps  of  the 
Second  Period — to  the  refined  palaces  of  the  Third  Period,  and  the 
ornamental  mansions  and  comfortable  dwellings  of  the  Fourth  Period. 
It  was  employed  both  in  town  and  country,  alike  by  rich  and  poor. 
Castles,  mansions,  town  houses,  churches,  monasteries,  prisons,  schools, 
and  every  kind  of  edifice  were  designed  in  it.  It  was  the  Scottish  style 
of  architecture  peculiar  to  the  country,  and  besides  it  there  was  no  other 
in  the  land. 

Having  thus  a  style  so  national  and  so  universally  applicable,  would 


FOURTH    PERIOD  372    BUSBIE   CASTLE 

it  not  be  well  for  our  architects  to  adhere  to  it,  and  endeavour,  after  the 
example  of  their  predecessors,  to  adapt  it  to  all  the  various  requirements 
of  our  time  as  their  predecessors  did  in  their  time  1 

In  describing  the  castles  of  the  Fourth  Period  the  principle  hitherto 
adopted  is  adhered  to.  We  commence  with  the  simple  keeps,  then  con- 
tinue with  the  L  Plans,  the  Z,  the  T,  and  the  E  Plans,  following  with 
the  Courtyard  Plans,  and  concluding  with  a  number  of  fragmentary 
structures  and  details  which  could  not  be  included  in  any  of  the  above 
categories.  Each  series  of  buildings  is  taken  topographically,  in  the 
same  order  as  formerly — i.e.,  beginning  in  the  west,  we  move  by  the  south- 
west along  the  south  of  Scotland,  then  take  the  central  districts,  and 
finally  those  further  north. 


I.    SIMPLE    KEEPS. 

BUSBIE    CASTLE,*  AYRSHIRE. 

A  shattered  structure  of  the  Fourth  Period,  situated  on  the  Carmel 
Water,  about  two  miles  west  of  Kilmarnock.  It  is  on  the  plan  of  the 
simple  keep  (Fig.  285),  37  feet  6  inches  long  by  24  feet  6  inches  wide,  and 
about  50  feet  in  height,  as  shown  on  the  west  elevation.  The  entrance 
is  on  the  ground  floor,  and  by  a  passage  gives  access  to  two  cellars 
or  stores,  and  to  a  wheel-stair  in  the  north-west  angle.  The  latter 
conducts  to  the  upper  floors.  The  first  floor  is  chiefly  occupied  by  the 
hall,  which  has  a  large  fireplace,  and  windows  with  stone  seats  at  the 
east  end.  Possibly  a  portion  at  the  west  end  of  this  floor  was  divided 
off  by  a  partition  so  as  to  form  a  kitchen  (as  was  often  done),  there 
being  indications  of  a  fireplace  and  large  chimney  at  that  end  of  the 
tower.  From  this  there  is  a  stair  to  the  cellar,  and  a  drain  through  the 
wall  at  the  bottom.  The  second  floor  was  divided  into  two  apartments, 
and  had  a  passage  giving  separate  access  to  each,  and  the  top  story  was 
probably  divided  in  a  similar  manner.  The  exterior  (Fig.  286)  has  a 
greater  attempt  at  elegance  of  details  than  is  often  the  case.  The 
principal  windows  and  doorway  are  round  arched,  and  have  a  large  roll 
moulding,  and  the  angle  turrets  are  ornamented  with  several  cable 
enrichments,  and  with  finer  mouldings  than  usual  on  the  corbels,  and  they 
have  also  stone  roofs. 

*  The  Plans  of  this  castle  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Railton, 


BUSBIE   CASTLE 


—    373    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  gabled  capehouse  over  the  staircase  has  also  similar  enrichments. 
The  horizontal  shot-holes  of  the  basement,  and  the  details  above  referred 
to,  indicate  a  date  about  1600. 

The  angle  turrets  are  also  provided  with  shot-holes,  which  are  marked 
by  a  bend  of  the  cable  moulding,  so  arranged,  however,  as  to  allow  of 


GROUND    FLOOR  THIRD     FLOOR 

Fm.  285.— Busbie  Castle.    Plans  and  West  Elevation. 

shooting  from  them.  There  was  no  parapet,  the  roof  extending  over  the 
whole  building,  but  there  are  gargoyles  at  the  back  of  the  turrets  to 
discharge  the  water  from  behind  them. 

Busbie  was  long  the  property  of  the  Mowats,  whose  connection  with 
it  terminated  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  "  Frequent 
notice  of  the  Mowats  of  Busbie,"  says  Mr.  Fullerton,  "  occurs  in  the  public 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  374  — 


CLONBEITH    CASTLE 


records,  but  for  several  centuries  of  the  latter  part  of  their  history  they  do 
not  appear  to  have  occupied  any  very  conspicuous  place."* 


FIG.  886.— Bnsbie  Castle.    View  from  Soutli-East. 


CLONBEITH  CASTLE,  f  AYRSHIRE. 

A  simple  oblong  mansion  of  the  Fourth  Period,  situated  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Lugton,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  north-east  of  Kilwinning. 
The  structure,  which  is  very  ruinous  (Fig.  287),  measures  37  feet  6  inches 
by  23  feet,  and  the  walls  are  2  feet  6  inches  thick.  The  ground  floor 
has  been  vaulted.  The  entrance  doorway  is  nearly  in  the  centre,  and  led 
by  a  passage  on  the  right  to  the  straight  staircase,  which  gave  access  to 
the  hall  on  the  first  floor.  A  wheel-stair  in  a  square  chamber  in  the  angle 

*  M  'Kay's  History  of  Kilmarnoclc,  p.  33. 

t  The  drawings  of  this  building  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Railton. 


IIESSILIIEAD   CASTLE 


375  — 


FOUUTII    PERIOD 


conducted  to  the  upper  floors,  which  unfortunately  are  now  demolished. 
The  hall  (Fig.  288)  was  28  feet  by  18  feet,  with  windows  in  three  of  the 
walls,  a  large  fireplace  on  one  side,  and  a  circular  bow  window  on  the 
opposite  side  boldly  projected  on  a  series  of  corbels.  This  window  is 
in  the  centre  of  the  entrance  front,  immediately  over  the  doorway.  The 


Fin.  287.— Clonbeith  Castle.     Entrance  Front. 


whole  design  of  that  front  is  thus  arranged  symmetrically,  with  doorway 
and  corbelled  bow  as  central  features,  and  a  window  on  either  side.  The 
doorway  (Fig.  289)  is  of  early  Renaissance  type,  and  bears  the  date  1607. 


Fio.  288.— Clonbeith  Castle. 
Plan  of  First  Floor. 


Fia.  289.— Clonbeith  Castle,    Doorway. 

"  The  Cuninghames  of  Clonbeith,  according  to  Nisbet,  were  cadets  of 
Glencairn,  through  the  Cuninghames  of  Aiket."  *  The  estate  continued 
with  that  family  till  1717,  when  it  was  purchased  by  the  Earl  of  Eglinton. 


HESSILHEAD  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  ruin  situated  in  the  parish  of  Beith  on  level  ground,  no\\f  enclosed 
as  a  garden.     According  to  Pont  it  was  "  a  stronge  old  building  environed 
*  Font's  Cunningham,  p.  273. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    376    — 


IIESSILIIEAD    CASTLE 


vith  lairge  ditches  seatted  on  a  loch."  It  is  now  a  roofless,  ivy-clad  ruin, 
with  considerable  portions  of  the  walls  broken  down.  The  castle  (Fig. 
290)  is  an  oblong  structure  built  at  two  periods,  and  measures  about 
74  feet  from  east  to  west  by  38  feet  6  inches  from  north  to  south. 

The  building  may  be  described  as  it  now  stands,  because  any  attempt 
to  trace  its  original  plan  would  be  hopeless.  The  old  or  western  part 
was  apparently  a  keep  of  the  Third  or  Fourth  Period.  The  new  part 


FIG.  290. — Hessilhead  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

was  built  by  Francis  Montgomerie  of  Giffen,  who  purchased  the  estate  in 
1680  from  his  kinsman,  Robert  Montgomerie,  the  last  male  representative 
of  the  family  of  Hessilhead.  The  entrance,  which  is  now  built  up,  was 
on  the  south  side,  and  led  into  a  hall  containing  a  scale  and  platt  stair,  of 
which  a  few  steps  still  remain.  The  hall  being  in  the  centre  of  the  house, 
a  door  on  either  hand  leads  into  the  old  and  new  parts,  both  of  which 
were  vaulted  on  the  ground  floor.  The  basement  of  the  west  end  is 
lighted  by  two  narrow  slits,  and  contains  a  wheel-staircase  in  the  north 


FIG.  291. — Hessilhead  Castle. 

wall  which  led  to  the  upper  floors.  Opposite  this  staircase  are  the  ruins 
of  what  seems  to  have  been  an  oven.  From  the  entrance  hall  the  new 
building  is  reached  by  a  vaulted  passage  which  runs  across  the  house 
and  out  by  a  door  on  the  north  side.  The  principal  apartment  here  is 
the  kitchen,  with  a  large  fireplace  at  the  end.  The  upper  floors  can 
hardly  be  said  to  exist,  and  therefore  cannot  be  accurately  described. 

At  the  entrance  door  (Fig.  291)  there  have  been  built  into  the  wall 
what  appear  to  be  the  caps  of  fireplace  jambs. 


NEWMILNS   TOWER  —   377   —  FOURTH    PERIOD 

The  estate  of  Hessilhead  was  a  part  of  the  lordship  of  Giffen,  and 
along  with  other  portions  was  given  off  to  younger  sons  of  the  Mont- 
gomerie  family.  When  it  was  so  alienated  is  not  known,  but  the  name 
of  Hugh  Montgomerie  of  Hessilhead  is  found  in  records  of  the  year  1556. 

The  principal  glory  of  Hessilhead  consists  in  its  having  been  the  birth- 
place of  the  poet  Alexander  Montgomerie,  well  known,  if  not  widely  read, 
as  the  author  of  "  The  Cherry  and  the  Slae." 

Hessilhead  was  at  one  time  occupied  by  the  family  of  Lord  Glasgow, 
and  after  they  left,  the  proprietor,  a  Mr.  Macmichael,  about  the  year  1776, 
took  off  the  roof  and  allowed  the  place  to  go  to  ruin.* 

For  further  particulars  regarding  this  castle  see  Cunningham,  by  T. 
Pont,  with  continuation  by  J.  S.  Dobie. 


NEWMILNS  TOWER,  AYRSHIRE. 

In  the  heart  of  the  thriving  town  of  Newmilns,  about  seven  miles 
from  Kilmarnock,  stands  the  old  dovecot  tower.  Its  early  history  is 
forgotten,  but  it  was  one  of  the  residences  of  the  Campbells  of  Loudoun. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  it  was  occupied  by  Captain 
Inglis,  and  used  as  a  prison  for  the  Covenanters.  It  now  forms  an 
adjunct  to  an  inn,  and  contains  stabling  and  hay  and  corn  lofts,  so  that 
access  to  the  various  floors  is  difficult.  The  entrance  doorway  is  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  close  beside  it  begins  the  wheel-stair,  in  the  south-east 
angle,  which  leads  to  all  the  upper  floors.  Of  these  there  are  two  and  an 
attic.  The  Plan  (Fig.  292)  shows  the  second  floor,  which  contains  one 


Pio.  292.— Newinilns  Tower.    Plan  of  Second  Floor. 

room  19  feet  long  by  14  feet  wide,  with  a  fireplace,  a  window  on  each 
side,  and  two  wall-chambers.  The  building  is  only  30  feet  by  24  feet 
over  all,  and  the  walls  are  5  feet  thick.  Externally  (Fig.  293)  it  is 
marked  by  the  somewhat  unusual  features  of  two  string-courses  and  a 
base.  The  doorway  has  evidently  been  enlarged,  but  the  panel  over  it 
*  Paterson's  Ayrshire  Families,  Vol.  i.  p.  288. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    378   — 


NEWARK    CASTLE 


is  original.  The  tower  seems  to  have  had  an  open  parapet,  with  open 
bartizans  at  the  angles,  all  supported  on  a  series  of  continuous  corbelling. 
From  the  portions  remaining,  which  comprise  part  of  the  south-east 
bartizan,  with  gargoyles  for  the  water,  it  is  apparent  that  the  bartizan 


Fie.  293.— Newmilns  Tower.    View  from  South-East. 

was  open.  There  would  also  appear  to  have  been  shot-holes  in  the 
wall  of  the  top  story.  From  the  style  of  the  corbelling  and  other 
details,  this  is  undoubtedly  a  building  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  Fourth 
Period. 


NEWARK  CASTLE,*  AYRSHIRE. 

This  structure  is  situated  about  four  miles  south  from  Ayr,  and  not 
-far  from  Kirk  Alloway  and  the   Brig  o'   Boon.      It  occupies  a  rising 

*  We  are  indebted  for  the  Plans  of  and  information  regarding  this  castle  to  James 
D.  Roberton,  Esq.,  Park  Terrace  East,  Glasgow. 


NEWARK    CASTLE 


379    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


position  on  the  slope  of  the  Carrick  Hills,  and  stands  on  a  rock  which 
pierces  through  the  soil,  and  from  which  the  surrounding  ground  falls 
away.  The  tower  has  thus  a  much  more  commanding  aspect  than  would 
be  expected  from  its  modest  dimensions.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  wet 
moat,  only  recently  filled  up  (says  Paterson  in  the  History  of  Ayr  and 
Wigton),  and  had  a  drawbridge.  As  will  be  seen  from  the  Plans 
(Fig.  294),  the  edifice  belongs  to  two  periods.  The  earliest  tower  is 
almost  square,  and  measures  about  32  feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west 
by  27  feet  8  inches,  the  length  of  both  structures  from  east  to  west 
being  55  feet.  The  height  from  the  rock  to  the  top  of  the  roof  is 


DLAN     OF     3s-0  FLOOR 


3LAN     OF    2N-°  FLOOR 


FIG.  294.— Newark  Castle.    Plans. 

about  50  feet,  and  the  rock  stands  about  8  or  9  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  surrounding  ground.  About  forty  years  ago  an  extensive  addition 
was  made  to  the  castle  on  the  west  and  north  sides,  when  unfortunately 
the  architect  insisted  on  clearing  away  the  picturesque  old  staircase  lead- 
ing to  the  entrance  into  the  courtyard  at  the  north-east  corner,  shown  on 
Fig.  295.  This  view  of  the  castle  is  copied  from  an  unpublished  sketch 
by  a  Mr.  Clark  in  the  Library  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy. 

The  old  tower  contains  four  stories  and  the  battlements,  the  ground 
floor  being  vaulted.  In  the  addition  to  the  west  there  is  an  extra  room 
at  a  lower  level  than  the  cellar  in  the  tower.  This  is  inserted  in  a  hollow 
between  two  portions  of  the  rock,  and  is  called  Gun  Room  on  the  Plans. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    380   — 


NEWARK   CASTLE 


The  present  entrance  is  in  the  west  side  of  the  newer  structure  (Fig. 
294),  and  from  it  access  is  obtained  to  the  old  building,  the  door  to  which 
probably  remains  in  the  original  position  adjoining  the  staircase.  The 
wheel-stair  in  the  north-west  corner  of  the  old  tower  runs  from  top  to 
bottom,  giving  access  to  the  rooms  of  both  towers.  Two  curious  closets 
occur  in  the  thickness  of  the  west  wall  of  the  old  tower,  one  on  the  ground 
floor  .and  the  other  on  the  floor  above.  Both  enter  from  the  staircase, 
and  are  lighted  by  narrow  slits.  These  may  possibly  have  been  garde- 


Fio.  295.— Newark  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 


robes.  The  two  upper  floors  are  each  divided  into  two  rooms.  On 
the  second  floor  one  of  these  rooms  is  very  small,  and  is  lighted  by  a 
long  narrow  window  placed  at  a  considerable  height  above  the  floor,  and 
raised  up  above  the  level  of  the  ceiling,  the  ingoing  in  the  wall  being 
sloped  down  to  it.  The  battlement  walk  (Figs.  295  and  296)  goes  round 
three  sides  of  the  old  tower ;  but  previous  to  the  addition  being  put  up 
it  appears  to  have  gone  round  the  fourth  side  also,  as  the  corbels  for 
supporting  the  south-west  corner  turret  still  remain  (see  Fig.  296).  The 
turrets  project  considerably  on  bold  detached  corbels.  That  at  the 


NEWARK    CASTLE 


—   381    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


south-east  corner  is  a  garde-robe,  and  has  a  stone  seat  and  aperture 
between  the  corbels.  It  was  enclosed  with  a  door,  the  stonework  being 
neatly  checked  to  receive  it.  The  other  turret  forms  a  protecting 
bartizan  for  a  sentinel. 

Newark  was  a  jointure  house  of  the  Kennedies  of  Bargany,  and  the 
following  few  historical  notices  of  the  place  occur  about  1580.     "Black 


Fio.  296. — Newark  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

Bessie  Kennedy"  was  infeft  in  the  "New-Wark"  by  Bargany,  in  con- 
nection with  which  a  long  story  is  told  in  the  Historic  of  the  Kennedyis 
(p.  15),  a  story  of  bloodshed  and  private  war  which  went  on  for  genera- 
tions between  the  houses  of  Cassillis  and  Bargany  after  the  "  slachter  of 
Sir  Thomas  Kennedy,  the  Laird  of  Colzeone,"  in  1602.  The  Laird  of 
Auchindrayne  (a  neighbouring  proprietor),  who  was  suspected  by  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    382    — 


GREKNAN    CASTLE 


Fro.  297.— Greenan  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 


GREENAN    CASTLE  -    383    —  FOURTH    PERIOD 

deceased's  friends  of  being  an  accomplice,  "  left  his  awin  house  and  zeid 
to  the  Newark  (the  residence  of  Duncan  Crawford  of  Newark),  quhilk 
wes  bot  ane  myle  disserentt  fra  Auchindrayne."  He  appears  to  have 
taken  this  step  because  of  the  situation  and  strength  of  Newark ;  for 
when  the  friends  of  the  murdered  laird  came  out  with  horsemen,  expect- 
ing to  find  him  on  his  way  between  the  two  houses,  he  had  reached 
Newark  in  safety,  and  managed,  with  assistance,  to  make  them  retire 
with  "schame." 

Paterson  mentions  that  over  the  doorway  at  the  top  of  the  outside 
stair  there  was  a  tablet  with  the  inscription,  "James  Craufurd  and 
Anna  Kennedy  was  married  upon  the  last  day  of  June  1687.  They 
bought  and  possessed  this  house  the  said  yeir.  J.  C.  A.  K."  They  doubt- 
less built  the  east  stair,  the  entrance  and  adjoining  low  buildings,  and 
very  probably  the  extension  of  the  keep,  shown  on  the  Plan,  was  also 
executed  by  them. 


GREENAN  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  simple  keep  of  the  Fourth  Period,  which  occupies  a  prominent 
position  on  the  edge  of  a  cliff  overhanging  the  sea  about  three  miles 
south  of  Ayr  (Fig.  297).  It  was  occupied  in  the  beginning  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  by  John  Kennedy  of  Baltersan;  and  the  letters  J.  K. 
over  the  doorway,  with  the  date  1603,  seem  to  show  that  it  was  erected 
by  him.  There  was,  however,  a  previous  "  fortalice "  on  the  lands  of 


Fia.  298.— Greenan  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

Greenan,  which  were  held  in  the  fifteenth  century  by  a  family  named 
Davidson.  The  keep  (Fig.  298)  measures  about  35  feet  by  28  feet.  The 
entrance  doorway  is  on  the  ground  floor,  which  is  vaulted,  and  from  which 
a  wheel-staircase  in  the  north-east  angle  leads  to  the  upper  floors.  The 
first  floor  is  occupied  by  the  hall,  about  25  feet  by  20  feet,  with  windows 
on  all  sides,  and  a  large  fireplace.  The  second  floor  has  be. en  similar; 
and  above  it  was  a  third  story,  partly  in  the  roof,  and  lighted  with 
dormers.  The  top  floor  has  also  had  roofed  turrets  at  the  angles, 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  384  — 


CRAWFURDLAND   CASTLE 


furnished  with  the  usual  corbellings  and  shot-holes.  The  situation  of 
this  castle  is  very  picturesque,  and  it  forms  a  pleasing  object  in  the  views 
of  the  Bay  of  Ayr. 

CRAWFUKDLAND  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  large  modern  mansion,  about  three  miles  west  of  Kilmarnock, 
which  incorporates  an  old  tower,  long  the  fortress  of  the  Crawfurds  of 
Crawfurdland.  The  old  tower  (Fig.  299)  is  three  stories  in  height,  above 
which  is  the  open  parapet  carried  on  continuous  corbellings,  and  simply 


Fio.  299.— Crawfurdland  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

rounded  at  the  angles,  without  projecting  bartizan.  Above  this  is  the 
roof,  with  crow-stepped  gables,  and  higher  still  the  capehouse  over  the 
staircase,  also  finished  with  crow-stepped  gablets. 

The  windows  have  evidently  been  enlarged.  The  vaulted  basement 
is  provided  with  wide  shot-holes.  Internally  the  tower  is  modernised. 
It  appears  to  belong  to  the  early  part  of  the  Fourth  Period. 


CROSRAGUEL    GATEHOUSE  385    FOURTH    PERIOD 


CROSRAGUEL  GATEHOUSE,  AYRSHIRE. 

Although  this  is  part  of  a  monastic  building,  it  is  so  distinctly 
civil  in  its  architecture,  and  is  such  a  well-preserved  and  picturesque 
example  of  the  early  style  of  the  Fourth  Period,  as  to  be  well  entitled 
to  a  place  beside  the  other  specimens  of  the  domestic  architecture  of  that 
date. 

There  is  no  positive  record  of  its  erection,  but  there  can  be  little 
doubt  but  that  it  was  built  during  the  time  of  Abbot  Quintin  Kennedy 
(1547-64),  son  of  the  second  Earl  of  Cassillis.  The  ten  brethren  who, 
with  their  abbot  and  sub-prior,  constituted  the  community  of  Crosraguel, 
"  lost  about  this  time  from  their  number  one  Gilbert  Macbrayar,  who  is 
recorded  as  having  made  many  sumptuous  additions  to  the  abbey  build- 
ings. Quintin  Kennedy  was  probably  the  first  abbot  to  occupy  the 
stately  mansion  to  the  south-east  of  the  cloister."*  The  latter  remark 
applies  to  the  Abbot's  Tower,  now  in  ruins,  which  formed  a  keep  pre- 
cisely similar  to  the  simple  keeps  of  the  landowners,  with  a  hall  and 
other  rooms  attached  to  it  in  the  courtyard.  After  this  abbot's  death 
the  estates  of  the  abbey  were  secularised,  and  Allan  Stewart,  the  com- 
mendator  who  succeeded  him,  disposed  of  the  property,  and  erected  no 
buildings. 

The  plan  of  the  gatehouse  (Fig.  300)  shows  an  arched  passage  on  the 
ground  floor  leading  into  the  outer  court  of  the  monastery,  with  a  narrow 
guard-room  or  porter's  lodge  in  the  thickness  of 
the  west  wall.     The  upper  floors  are  approached 
by  a  staircase  in  the  circular  turret  on  the  east 
side,  the  door  to  which  enters  from  the  courtyard. 
This  staircase  also  gives  access  to  the  parapet  walk 
of   the   eastern  enclosing  wall.      The  two  upper 
floors  each  contain  a  single  apartment,  about  14 
feet  by  1 1  feet,  with  windows  in  the  north  and  FIO.  soo. 

SOUth  Walls,  furnished   with    Stone   seats,   and   fire-   Crosraguel  Gatehouse.    Plan. 

places,  garde-robes,  &c.     They  probably  formed  the  abode  of  the  porter, 
and  perhaps  also  a  guest-chamber. 

The  parapet  and  bartizans  seem  to  have  been  open,  and  a  small  look- 
out chamber,  entering  from  the  parapet,  was  constructed  over  the  stair 
turret  by  corbelling  it  out  to  the  square  (Fig.  301).  This  is  rudely  done, 
and  indicates  one  of  the  early  attempts  at  this  style  of  work.  The 
dovecot  of  the  abbey  is  shown  in  the  sketch,  and  is  not  dissimilar  in  style 
to  the  gatehouse.  The  gable  to  the  west  of  the  gatehouse  is  part  of  the 
domestic  offices  in  the  outer  courtyard.  , 

*  The  Charters  of  the  Abbey  of  Crosraguel,  published  by  the  Ayr  and  Galloway 
Archaeological  Association,  1886,  p.  xli. 

2  B 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    386    — 


CROSRAGUEL    GATEHOUSE 


!t 


KNOCKDOLIAN   CASTLK 


—  387 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


KILHENZIE  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  simple  keep  of  the  Fourth  Period,  which,  after  standing  some  time 
in  ruins,  has  now  been  restored  and  enlarged  into  a  modern  mansion. 
It  stands  on  high  ground  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Maybole. 
John  Baird,  laird  of  Kilhenzie,  was  well  known  at  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century  as  concerned  in  the  local  feuds  of  the  time. 


KNOCKDOLIAN  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  small  square  pele  tower  (Fig.  302)  in  fair  preservation,  standing 
close  to  the  high  north-west  bank  of  the  River  Stinchar,  about  two  miles 
south-west  from  Colmonell.  There  are  no  special  features  connected  with 


Fio.  302.— Knockdolian  Castle.    View  from  North- West. 

this  tower  except  that  a  stone  carved  with  an  ancient  memorial  cross 
has  been  used  as  one  of  the  sills.  The  tower  (Fig.  303),  which  measures 
35  feet  by  25  feet,  contains,  as  usual,  a  single  room  on  each  floor.  In 


FOURTH    PERIOD  -    388   -  CRAIG   CAFPIE   TOWER 

the  sixteenth  century,  when  this  pele  was  probably  built,  the  lands  of 
Knockdolian  belonged  to  the  family  of  Grahame.*  Sir  John  Grahame 
of  Knockdolian  was  married  to  Dame  Helen  Kennedy,  eldest  daughter  of 
Thomas  Kennedy,  "  the  auld  laird "  of  Bargany.  In  the  grounds  con- 
nected with  the  old  castle  may  still  be  observed  some  remarkable  mounds, 
the  origin  and  object  of  which  are  often  matter  of  conjecture,  but  are 
explained  by  the  following  passage  from  the  Rev.  W.  Abercrummie's 
Description  of  Carrick  : — "  The  house  of  Knockdolian,  on  the  east  foot 


FIG.  303. — Knockdolian  Castle.    Plans. 

of  Knockdolian  Hill,  the  seat  of  the  M'Kubbins ;  about  which  is  shewen 
what  art  and  Industrie  can  doe  to  render  a  place  to  which  nature  hath 
not  been  favourable  very  pleasant  by  planting  of  gardens,  orchards,  walks, 
and  rows  of  trees  that  surprize  the  beholder  with  things  so  far  beyond 
expectation  in  a  country  so  wild  and  mountainous." 

The  beauty  of  the  place  is  still  well  maintained  by  the  present 
proprietor,  William  M'Coimel,  Esq.,  whose  mansion  is  situated  within 
one  hundred  yards  of  the  old  tower. 


CRAIG  CAFFIE  TOWER,  WIGTONSHIRE. 

A  tower  occupying  a  secluded  situation  not  far  from  the  east  side  of 
Loch  Ryan,  about  three  miles  from  Stranraer.f  It  is  situated  in  a 

*  According  to  Paterson's  History  of  Carrick  (Vol.  II.  p.  161),  "The  old  castle 
of  Knockdolian  was  built  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  by  Fergus 
M'Cubbin  and  Margt.  Kennedy,  his  spouse,  on,  it  is  believed,  the  foundation  of  a 
much  more  ancient  structure  of  the  knightly  family  of  the  Grahams,  the  ancient 
proprietors  of  the  estate."  But  from  the  design  of  the  building  it  seems  to  be  of 
older  date  ;  probably  the  re-building  above  spoken  of  referred  to  extensive  repara- 
tions of  the  older  structure. 

t  Having  failed  to  obtain  access  to  the  interior  we  are  indebted,  for  the  accompany- 
ing Plan  of  and  for  information  concerning  it,  to  John  M'Lachlan,  Esq.,  architect, 
Edinburgh,  whose  monograph  of  the  building,  with  illustrations,  is  published  in  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland  (Sessions  1868-70). 


CRAIG    CAFFIE   TOWER 


—    389    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


hollow,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  fosse.     The  tower  (Fig.  304),  which  is 
in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  is  of  small  dimensions,  measuring  only 
some  30  feet  9  inches  from  east  to  west,  by 
about  19  feet  9  inches  from  north  to  south, 
and  36  feet  6  inches  to  the  top  of  the  para- 
pets.    It  contains  three  floors  and  an  attic 
and  has  open  battlements  along  the  gables 
only,  with  angle  bartizans  (Fig.  305).      The 
ground  floor  is  vaulted  and  has  a  draw-well 
in  the  middle  of  the  floor.     The  door  is  on 
the  ground  level  and  opens  directly  on  the   Fl0' ; 
stair  which  ascends  in  the  north-west  angle  to  the  top.     Above  the  out- 


Fio.  305.— Craig  Caffle  Tower.    View  from  North-East. 

side  of  the  entrance  door  there  has  been  some  ornamental  work,  now  all 
defaced  except  the  faded  remnants  of  some  human  masks.     Over  this  and 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


390   — 


HILLS   CASTLE 


immediately  under  the  eaves  of  the  roof  a  stone  machicolation  is  corbelled 
out  for  the  defence  of  the  doorway. 

Mr.  M'Lachlan  points  out  that  on  the  face  of  the  bottom  crow-step 
of  the  north  gable  are  the  figures  1-5  '7,  delineated  on  the  Sketch  (see 
Fig.  305),  and  these  may  be  taken  to  indicate  the  year  1570  as  the  date 
of  the  erection  of  the  building.  The  carved  and  moulded  gargoyles,  with 
the  round  nail-head  ornament  in  the  hollow  moulding  of  one  of  the 
windows  (Fig.  306),  all  belong  to  the  style  of  that  period. 


FIG.  3(k>.— Uraii;  G'atlie  Tower.     Details. 

Craig  Came,  or  Kellechaffe,  as  it  was  anciently  called,  was  granted 
by  Robert  the  Bruce  to  John,  son  of  Neil,  Earl  of  Carrick,  and 
from  him  the  Neilsons  who  built  the  castle  claimed  their  descent.  In 
a  panel  in  the  north  front  above  the  doorway  are  the  Neilson  arms, 
cheveron,  argent,  and  or ;  in  chief  two  sinister  bands  couped,  and  erect 
gules,  and  in  base  a  dagger  point  downwards.  Over  this  are  the  initials 
I.  N.  (probably  John  Neilson).  On  another  shield  in  the  same  panel 
are  the  arms  of  his  wife,  with  the  initial  M.,  and  over  all  these  has  been 
an  inscription,  probably  the  motto  of  the  family  "  Hie  Regi." 


HILLS   CASTLE,   KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 

Situated  about  eight  miles  west  from  Dumfries,  this  house  stands  in  a 
high  and  lonely  situation,  and  now  forms  a  portion  of  a  farm-steading. 


HILLS   CASTLE 


391 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  latter  occupies  part  of  the  site  of  ancient  buildings  on  the  north  side 
of  the  courtyard.  The  castle  (Fig.  307)  consists  of  a  keep  in  the  south- 
west corner,  with  a  range  of  later  buildings  joined  to  it  on  the  east.  The 
courtyard  is  enclosed  on  the  west  side  with  a  high  wall,  having  a  striking 
and  picturesque  entrance  gateway  in  the  centre  (Fig.  308),  6  feet  5  inches 
wide,  with  a  small  chamber  above  it,  measuring  about  8  feet  8  inches  long 
by  4  feet  3  inches  wide.  This  chamber  seems  to  have  been  reached  by  a 
stair  from  the  courtyard,  and  has  its  entrance  door  at  the  north  end. 


GATE  .       ;WAV 


Fio.  307.— Hills  Castle.    Plan. 

The  keep  measures  about  29  feet  10  inches  from  east  to  west  by  about 
23  feet  6  inches  from  north  to  south,  and  45  feet  from  the  ground  to  the 
top  of  the  parapet.  The  entrance  is  from  the  courtyard  at  the  north-east 
angle  of  the  tower,  and  leads  directly  to  the  vaulted  ground  floor  through 
a  lobby  formed  by  the  projection  inwards  at  the  north-east  corner  of  the 
wheel-staircase  which  goes  up  to  the  parapet  walk.  There  are  three 
stories  above  the  vault,  with  an  attic,  and  a  fireplace  occurs  in  each  story, 
with  garde-robes  on  the  first  and  second.  The  gargoyles  along  the  parapet 
are  peculiar  and  are  all  alike,  being  formed  of  two  stones  with  circular 
bands  round  them  in  imitation  of  cannons  (Fig.  309).  The  later  addition 
adjoining  is  a  plain  building  with  a  communication  to  the  keep  on  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


392 


HILLS   CASTLE 


first  floor.       The  former  is  much  more  ruinous  than  the  latter,  which  is  in 
a  fair  state  of  preservation. 

The  writer  of  the  history  of  Lands  and  their  Owners  supposes  this 


PIG.  308. — Hills  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 


castle  to  have  been  built  in  the  reign  of  Robert  in.  This  opinion  neither 
an  architect  nor  an  antiquarian  could  endorse,  for  it  is  not  supported 
either  by  the  style  of  the  structure  or  by  record.  But  there  does  not 


ISLE   TOWER 


—  393  — 


FOURTH    PEKIOD 


Fio.  309.— Hills  Castle. 
Gargoyle. 


require  to  be  any  speculation  on  the  subject,  as  we  learn  from  the  same 

history  that  in  1527  James  Douglas  of  Drumlanrig 

resigned   his  lands  of    Hills   into  the  king's  hands, 

for  a  new  charter   in   favour  of   Edward  Maxwell 

in   Breconside.      This   charter   was   granted   in   the 

following  year,  and  the  present  tower  was  no  doubt 

erected  soon  thereafter.     This  is  evident  from  the 

arms  over  the  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  310).      Those 

in  the  upper  panel  are  worn  away,  but  are  recognisable  as  the  Maxwell 

arms  from  the  crest  of  the  stag  rising  from 
a  holly  bush.  In  the  compartment  beneath 
are  the  Maxwell  arms,  together  with  the  arms 
of  the  Carsons  (three  crescents),  and  the 

,^.^~     ,-  p,yi  r  initials  of  Edward  Maxwell  and  Janet  Carson, 

\       f"'-n_l»-~  his  wife.     Maxwell  died  before  1566,  so  that 

\*—~ «~'^S*f,'iff^$  the  date  of  the  erection  of  Hills  is  narrowed 

to  the  thirty-eight  years  before  his  death,  or 
between  1528  and  1566.  Several  other  stones 
containing  arms  are  to  be  seen  about  the 
buildings,  one  of  which  exhibits  the  arms 
and  initials  of  Edward  Maxwell  and  his  wife 
Agnes  Maxwell.  This  proprietor  succeeded 
in  1593,  and  was  alive  in  1643.  He  doubt- 
less erected  some  of  the  buildings.  Over  the 
gateway  are  the  arms  shown  on  Fig.  311. 

The   date    of    1721    is   also   observable,    and   probably 

indicates    the     time    when     the    existing    wing    was 

added. 

Plates  of  all  the  arms  at  Hills  are  to  be  found  in 

the  privately  printed  volume  on  the  Maxwells  by  Sir 

William  Fraser. 


FIG.  311.— Hills  Castle. 
Arms. 

ISLE  TOWER,  DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

This  simple  but  picturesque  tower  (Fig.  312)  is  situated  about  five  miles 
north-west  from  Dumfries.  It  stands  on  the  bank  of  the  Nith,  which  it  is 
supposed  at  one  time  surrounded  the  tower,  from  which  circumstance  it 
derives  its  name.  The  edifice  is  quite  entire,  and  being  incorporated  with 
a  larger  modern  house,  is  still  inhabited  by  the  proprietor,  J.  G.  Fergusson, 
Esq.  It  is  of  very  small  dimensions,  measuring  over  the  walls  about  23 
feet  by  20  feet. 


FIG.  310.— Hills  Castle. 
Maxwell  Arms. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


394   — 


POURMERKLAND   TOWKR 


The  entrance  is  on  the  east  side,  and  is  defended  by  a  strong  iron 
yett  having  a  wooden  door  in  front,  and  the  usual  bar-hole  in  the 
masonry.  The  arrangements  connected  with  these  are  complicated,  and 
are  minutely  described  by  Dr.  Christison  in  his  paper  on  Iron  Yetts.* 


FIG.  312.  -Isle  Tower. 

Over  the  doorway  are  the  Fergusson  arms  (see  Sketch,  Fig.  312),  with 
the  initials  of  John  Fergusson  (who  succeeded  to  Isle  in  1580),  and 
those  of  his  wife,  B.  R.,  and  the  date  of  the  erection  of  the  tower,  1587. 

Adjoining  Isle  is  the  farm  of  Ellisland,  occupied  for  a  few  years  by  the 
poet  Burns,  who,  it  appears,  had  his  residence  for  a  period  in  the  tower. 


FOURMERKLAND   TOWER. f 

Situated  in  the  parish  of  Holywood,  Dumfriesshire,  about  five  miles 
north-west  from  the  county  town.  It  is  a  simple  oblong  structure  (Fig. 
313)  about  23  feet  6  inches  by  19  feet,  and  about  30  feet  in  height  to  the 
eaves  and  44  feet  to  the  ridge.  The  tower  contains  four  stories,  and  the 

*  Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland,  Vol.  v.  New  Series,  1882-3. 
t  We  are  indebted  for  the  drawings  of  this  castle  to  Mr.  W.  F.  Lyon. 


FOURMERKLAND    TOWER 


—  395  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


arrangement  of  the  apartments  is  extremely  simple.  A  wheel-stair  in  one 
corner  adjoining  the  entrance  doorway  runs  from  top  to  bottom,  giving 
access  to  the  single  room  which  occupies  each  floor.  There  are  no  battle- 
ments (Fig.  314),  but  simple  eaves  and  gables,  the  roof  spanning  from 
wall  to  wall.  Two  round  angle  turrets,  at  diagonally  opposite  corners, 
serve  to  give  a  castellated  air  to  the  simple  tower.  The  ground  floor  is 
vaulted,  and  feebly  lighted  by  three  small  loops.  Over  the  doorway,  in  a 
panel,  are  the  Maxwell  arms  (a  saltier,  with  a  holly  leaf  in  chief,  a  mullet 
or  star  on  dexter  side,  and  stag's  head  on  base),  with  the  date  above  1590, 


GROUND      FLOOR 


SECOND      FLOOR 


Fio.  313.— Fourmcrklaud  Tower.    Plans  and  Section. 


on  either  side  of  which  occur  the  initials  of  Robert  Maxwell,  while  I.  C. 
at  the  bottom  of  the  panel  are  those  of  his  wife.  Above  the  panel,  and 
communicating  with  the  staircase  on  the  first  floor,  there  projects  a  stone 
drain,  supposed  by  Mr.  Lyon  to  be  connected  with  the  defence  of  the 
tower.  That  it  served  such  a  purpose  is  likely  enough,  seeing  that  the 
doorway  is  immediately  beneath.  A  similar  stone  drain  projects  over  the 
doorway  in  the  north  curtain  of  Craigmillar  Castle,  where,  however,  its 
interior  connection  and  arrangement  is  now  lost. 

The  large  window  on  the  first  floor  is  modern,  as  is  also  the  dormer 
window  at  the  roof,  and  the  upper  courses  of  the  masonry  of  the  turrets. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   396    — 


LAG   TOWER 


The  curious  oblong  windows  in  the  gables,  formed  like  shot-holes,  and 
opening  into  the  roof,  are  uncommon  and  remarkable  features.     This  is 


FIG.  314.— Fourmerkland  Tower. 


an  admirable  and  almost  unaltered  example  of  the  simple  keeps  of  the 
Fourth  Period. 


LAG  TOWER,  DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

This  keep  stands  about  three  miles  from  Auld  Garth  Bridge,  the 
road  winding  round  green  pasture  hills.  It  is  situated  on  a  knoll  in 
the  midst  of  a  wilderness  of  rank  vegetation  and  ruins,  adjacent  to  a 
farm-steading.  The  building  (Fig.  315),  of  which  the  walls  remain  to 
a  considerable  height,  measures  29  feet  9  inches  from  north  to  south,  by 
25  feet  3  inches  from  east  to  west.  The  door  is  in  the  middle  of  the 


LAG    TOWER 


—    397    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


south  end,  and  led  directly  by  a  passage  through  a  wall  5  feet  9  inches 
thick  into  the  basement  floor,  which  consists  of  an  apartment  17  feet 
11  inches  long  by  13  feet  6  inches  wide.  The  upper  floors,  of  which 
there  were  three,  contained  each  one  room  of  the  same  dimensions. 
From  a  passage  in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  tower  a  wheel -stair 
3  feet  3  inches  wide  led  to  the  upper  floors.  The  entrance  seems  to 
have  had  both  an  outer  door  and  one  which  folded  into  the  passage. 
Another  door  also  opened  into  the  ground  floor,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  foot  of  the  stair  had  also  a  separate  door.  None  of  the  floors 
were  vaulted.  The  ground  floor  is  lighted  by  a  small  slit  5  inches 
wide,  and  has  no  other  opening.  The  first  floor  has  a  fireplace  in 


FIG.  315.— Lag  Tower.     Plan. 

the  north  end,  and  two  side  lights  with  pointed  arches.  The  second 
floor  has  a  fireplace  also  in  the  north  end,  with  a  garde-robe  alongside, 
and  similar  arched  windows  towards  the  west.  The  corbelling  for  the 
joists  of  the  third  floor  remains,  but  most  of  the  walls  above  this  height 
are  gone.  From  the  north-west  corner  of  the  tower  a  ruined  wall  runs 
diagonally  down  the  hill  for  about  35  feet,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  at 
a  distance  of  about  40  feet  north-westwards,  there  are  the  remains  of 
ruined  outbuildings. 

Lag   belonged  from   the   beginning   of   the   fifteenth  century  to  the 
family  of   Grierson,   the  last  occupant  of  the  house  being   Sir   Robert 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


398    BONSHAW,  ROBGILL,  WAKDHOUSE 


Grierson  of  Lag,  a  well-known  enemy  of  the  Covenanters,  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century. 


EDINGHAM  CASTLE,  KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 

A  fragment  situated  a  few  miles  eastwards  from  Dalbeattie.  It  has 
been  a  small  structure,  measuring  about  28  feet  from  east  to  west  by 
20  feet  2  inches  (Fig.  316).  The  entrance  is  on  the  east  side,  and  it 
leads  into  a  small  porch  (Fig.  317),  from  which  two  doors  lead  into 


Pio.  316.— Edinerham  Castlo.    Plan. 


Fro.  317.- -Edingham  Castle. 


the  vaulted  ground  floor,  which  was  probably  divided  into  two  apart- 
ments. The  stair  is  in  the  south-east  corner,  and  leads  to  the  first  and 
second  floors. 

The  history  of  Edingham  is  apparently  not  well  known,  at  all  events 
we  have  not  found  any  reference  to  it  in  any  of  the  usual  works  on 
Galloway. 


BONSHAW,  ROBGILL,  AND  WARDHOUSE  TOWERS,* 
DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

These  towers  are  all  situated  in  the  same  locality,  and  within  one 
mile  of  each  other,  being  in  the  parish  of  Annan,  and  from  four  to  five 
miles  distant  from  the  town  of  that  name.  They  stand  in  a  singularly 
beautiful  valley,  through  which  runs  the  Kirtle  Water.  Of  the  three 
towers,  only  Bonshaw  is  anything  like  perfect,  the  other  two  having  had 
very  rough  usage. 

They  have  all  evidently  been  built  about  the  same  time,  and  have 

*  We  are  indebted  for  Plans  of  these  towers  and  for  the  notes  regarding  them  to 
James  D.  Roberton,  Esq. ,  Park  Terrace  East,  Glasgow. 


nONSIIAW,  ROBGILL,  WARDHOUSE  —    399    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


many  points  of  resemblance  to  each  other.  They  are  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  same  size,  the  average  dimensions  being  about  34  feet  by  25  feet 
(see  Figs.  318,  319,  320).  Bonshaw  is  slightly  the  largest.  Bonshaw 
and  Robgill  have  each  a  splayed  base,  and  the  entrance  doorway  and 
staircase  are  alike  in  both.  The  mode  in  which  Robgill  was  finished  at 
the  top  cannot  now  be  positively  ascertained,  but  the  other  two  towers 


Fio.  318.—  Bonshaw  Towor. 


were  almost  identical  in  the  corbelling  and  parapet,  and  both  have 
splayed  shot-holes  and  the  same  small  high  window  on  the  ground  floor. 
In  each  instance  the  ground  floor  only  is  vaulted. 


BONSHAW  (Fig.  318)  stands  on  the  top  of  a  high  bank  on  the  right 
side  of  the  Kirtle,  which  here  winds  through  a  deep  narrow  valley.     It 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    400   —  BONSHAW,  ROBGILL,  WARDHOUSE 


is  most  picturesquely  situated,  and  stands  about  90  feet  back  from  the 
cliff,  with  the  entrance  doorway  facing  the  south.  On  the  edge  of  the 
cliff  are  the  remains  of  old  buildings  which  probably  formed  part  of  the 
courtyard  walls. 

Over    the    moulded    entrance   doorway    (Fig.    319)    is   the   following 
inscription  : — * 


FIG.  319. — Bonshaw  Tower.    Inscriptions. 


The  entrance  passage  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  is  vaulted,  and  a 
pendant  from  the  roof  contained  the  monogram  shown  in  same  Fig. 

The  ground  floor  (Fig.  320)  has  four  large  finely  splayed  shot-holes, 
one  on  each  of  the  four  sides,  and  on  the  west  side  adjoining  the  dungeon 


FIG.  320.— Bonshaw  Tower.    Plan. 


there   is   a    small   window  high  up  in  the  vault.      The  small  dungeon 

measures  about  8  feet  by  5  feet,   and  is  constructed  so  as  to   partly 

project  into  the  cellar  from  which  it  enters — a  somewhat  peculiar  arrange- 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Armstrong  for  this  illustration. 


BONSHAW,  ROBGILL,  WARDHOUSE  401    


FOURTH    PERIOD 


ment.  The  height  of  this  floor  is  9  feet  8  inches.  A  good  wheel-stair 
adjoining  the  doorway  leads  to  the  three  upper  floors  and  battlements. 
There  is  only  one  room  on  each  floor.  On  the  first  floor  is  the  hall, 
measuring  27  feet  by  17  feet  8  inches,  and  10  feet  3  inches  from  the  floor 
to  the  floor  above.  It  has  been  well  lighted  at  the  upper  or  fireplace  end, 
where  there  are  four  windows.  The  fireplace  is  large  and  handsome ;  it 
projects  2  feet  1  inch  from  the  wall,  and  is  about  7  feet  high  to  the  top  of 
its  moulded  cornice.  On  the  projecting  jambs  are  two  holes  as  shown  on 
the  Plan.  They  are  about  6  inches  square  and  occur  at  about  2  feet 
from  the  floor,  and  were  evidently  meant  for  a  beam  sliding  through. 
Can  they  have  been  for  a  revolving  spit  ?  The  ambry  in  the  south  wall 
has  an  Old  Gothic-shaped  lintel.  A  few  steps  up  the  staircase  from  the 
hall  there  is  a  carefully  cut  stone  sink,  with  a  drain  to  the  outside. 

The  second  floor  has  four  windows,  the  east  one  being  placed  high  up 
in  the  wall.  This  floor  contains  a  small  garde-robe  and  the  usual  wall 
press,  but  no  fireplace. 

The  building  is  in  good  order  and  is  well  cared  for,  but  unfortunately 
about  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  the  old  roof,  which  was  covered  with  large 
stone  flags,  was  taken  off  and  the  stones  used  for  the  floor  of  a  farm-stead- 
ing. A  common  slated  roof  was  put  on  in  place  of  the  old.  The  water 
is  carried  from  the  roofs  and  battlements  by  cannon-shaped  gargoyles. 

Bonshaw  was  built  by  the  Irvings,  and  is  still  in  the  possession  of 
that  family. 

ROBQILL  TOWER  is  situated  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  down  the 
Kirtle  Water  from  Bonshaw,  and  has  a  somewhat  similar  situation — on 
the  edge  of  a  cliff  about  40  feet  high.  The  tower  (Fig.  321)  remained 
entire  till  about  ten  years  ago,  when  it  was  wilfully  pulled  down  to  the 


PIG.  321.— Robgill  Tower.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

level  of  the  hall  floor  in  order  to  allow  of  a  dining-room  connected  with 
the  adjoining  modern  house  being  built  over  the  ancient  basement 
floor.  The  kitchen  was  on  the  ground  floor,  where  the  fine  arched 
fireplace  still  survives.  The  arch  is  rounded  on  the  edge  a'nd  projects 
some  inches  from  the  line  of  the  wall. 

2  c 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


402  — 


THIRLSTANE    CASTLE 


WAREHOUSE  is  also  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Kirtle,  almost 
opposite  Bobgill,  but  only  on  the  ground  floor  (Fig.  322)  is  the  outline 
of  the  tower  entire.  Some  years  ago  the  building  fell,  through  neglect 
and  decay,  but  was  immediately  re-erected  as  we  see  it  now.  The 


FIG.  322.—  Wardhouse  Tower.    Plans. 

staircase  is  narrower  than  in  the  other  towers,  and  is  situated  in  the 
corner  opposite  the  door.  The  upper  floor  windows  are  about  2  feet 
square,  placed  in  the  centre  of  arched  recesses.  Only  one  side  of  the 
hall  fireplace  remains ;  it  has  been  large  and  good.  This  tower  has  been 
a  story  higher  than  its  neighbours  at  Bonshaw  and  Robgill. 


THIRLSTANE   CASTLE,    SELKIRKSHIRE. 

The  ruins  of  the  old  tower  of  the  Scotts  of  Thirlstane  stand  behind 
the  modern  mansion  of  Lord  Napier  and  Ettrick,  the  representative  of 
the  distinguished  family  of  Scott-Napier.  It  stands  in  a  remote  upland 
district  about  seventeen  miles  south-west  of  Selkirk.  The  tower  is  now 
greatly  ruined,  and  presents  no  architectural  features.  It  has  been  one 
of  the  ordinary  simple  Border  peles  of  the  Fourth  Period.  The  lintel  of 
the  doorway,  which  was  discovered  in  the  walls  of  the  farm-house,  has 
now  been  replaced  in  its  original  position ;  on  it  are  carved  the  letters 
^\~,  "  the  initials  of  Sir  Robert  Scott  and  his  first  wife,  Mary  Cranston, 
indicating  a  date  somewhere  between  1590  and  1620  "  (Craig  Brown). 


DRYHOPE 


—  403  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


GAMELSCLEUCH,*   SELKIRKSHIRE. 

A  ruined  simple  keep,  about  two  miles  from  Ettrick,  built  towards 
the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  by  Symon  Scott,  called  "Simon  of  the 


FIG.  323.— Gamelscleuch.     Plan. 

Spear."      It   is  now  reduced  to  walls  little  more  than  one  story  high 
(Fig.  323). 

DRYHOPE,!    SELKIRKSHIRE. 

A  tower  of  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Scotts.  It  stands  near  the 
lower  end  of  St.  Mary's  Loch.  In  1592  Scott  of  Goldielands  was  com- 
missioned to  demolish  it,  owing  to  the  owner  having  been  "  art  and  part 
in  the  late  treasonable  attempt  against  the  king  at  Falkland."  The 
tower,  however,  still  stands,  though  dismantled  and  ruinous.  It  is  a 


Fio.  324. — Dryhope,    Plan. 

simple  keep  (Fig.  324),  measuring  33  feet  by  22  feet,  with  walls  about  4 
feet  thick.  It  was  four  stories  in  height  (Fig.  325),  and  the  disposition 
of  the  apartments  was  the  ordinary  one.  All  architectural  features  have 
now  vanished,  and  even  the  corner  stones  are  to  a  great  extent  removed. 
Dryhope  is  celebrated  in  song  as  the  home  of  the  "  Flower  of  Yarrow." 
Mr.  Craig  Brown  mentions  that  "  built  in  the  wall  of  the  new  onstead  is 
*  The  Sketch  is  by  Mr.  W.  Anderson.  t  Idem. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    404 


BLACKHOUSE    CASTLE 


FIG.  325.— Dryhope.     View  from  North-East. 

an  elegantly  sculptured  tablet  from  the  old  tower,  bearing  the  initials 
P.  S.  '  M.  S.,  for  Philip  and  Mary  Scott,  parents  of  the  '  Flower  of 
Yarrow.'  " 


BLACKHOUSE   CASTLE,*   SELKIRKSHIRE. 

A  ruinous  tower  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Douglas  Burn,  two  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  north-east  end  of  St.  Mary's  Loch.     It  has  been  a  simple 


Fio.  326.— Blackhousc  Castle. 
*  The  Sketch  is  by  Mr.  W.  Anderson. 


KIRKHOPE   TOWER  -    405    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

oblong  pele  with  a  round  tower  at  one  angle  adjoining  the  door  and 
containing  the  staircase.  It  is  supposed  to  be  an  old  home  of  the 
Douglases,  and  the  scene  of  the  Douglas  tragedy.  The  walls  are  now 
reduced  to  one  story  in  height  (Fig.  326),  but  the  form  of  the  plan  bears 
evidence  of  its  being  probably  a  Fourth  Period  structure. 

KIRKHOPE  TOWER,  SELKIRKSHIRE. 

"  This  lonely  Border  tower  is  situated  about  seven  miles  west  from 
Selkirk,  on  a  green  hillside  overlooking  the  vale  of  Ettrick.  It  stands 
on  very  rough  uneven  ground,  sloping  southwards  from  the  entrance  front 
down  to  the  valley,  while  behind  the  tower  the  hills  rise  suddenly  and 
steeply.  On  the  east  a  deep  ravine  containing  a  brawling  stream  cuts  off 
the  tower  from  easy  access  on  that  side.  The  building  is  in  a  fair  state 
of  preservation,  having  evidently  been  inhabited  till  within  recent  years, 
but  it  is  now  getting  into  a  state  of  decay.  It  is  of  small  size,  but  like 
all  these  old  towers  it  has  a  solid  and  imposing  appearance.  The  struc- 
ture (Fig.  327)  is  nearly  square,  its  external  measurements  being  27  feet 
4  inches  from  east  to  west  by  22  feet  8  inches  from  north  to  south,  and  it 
is  four  stories  high,  with  an  attic  (Figs.  327  and  328). 

The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  being  provided  with  only  one  small 
zig-zag  slit,  it  is  almost  dark.  The  entrance  door  to  the  ground  floor  is 
on  the  south  side,  and  from  the  ingoing  of  the  door  a  straight  stair  leads 
to  the  first  floor.  Immediately  over  this  doorway,  now  built  up,  was  the 
principal  entrance,  which  was  placed  on  the  first  floor,  in  order  that,  in 
case  of  danger  or  in  the  absence  of  the  head  of  the  house,  the  lower 
door  could  be  permanently  secured,  and  access  gained  by  a  short  ladder 
to  the  upper  door.  The  stair  to  the  upper  floors  is  in  the  corner,  necessi- 
tating, as  frequently  happens,  that  the  principal  room  had  to  be  traversed 
before  reaching  it.  This  stair  was  of  timber,  and  is  now  completely  decayed. 
There  are  no  windows  in  either  the  east  or  west  ends,  except  small  ones 
between  30  and  40  feet  above  the  ground,  and  on  the  north  side  there  are 
only  the  small  slit  on  the  ground  floor,  and  a  staircase  "  bole  "  at  a  con- 
siderable height  above  the  ground.  Security  against  a  Border  raid  has 
thus  evidently  been  a  main  object  in  designing  the  structure,  and  more 
than  once  has  this  little  tower  resisted  attacks  with  both  fire  and  sword. 
The  arrangements  of  the  battlements  are  of  a  late  type,  being  provided 
with  roofed-in  shelters  for  the  sentries  instead  of  the  usual  corbelled  angle 
turrets.  The  corbels  supporting  the  parapet  are  of  the  rudest  kind,  being 
merely  square  undressed  blocks.  The  masonry,  likewise,  is  composed  in  a 
great  measure  of  stones  such  as  are  found  lying  on  the  slopes  around. 

There  has  been  a  barmkin  in  front,  not  seemingly  in  immediate  con- 
nection with  the  tower,  but  entirely  commanded  and  overlooked  by  it. 
It  is  situated  about  30  yards  to  the  south,  and  measures  some  30  yards 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    406 


KIRKHOPE    TOWER 


from  east  to  west  by  15  yards  from  north  to  south.  This  was  evidently  a 
place  of  security  for  cattle.  The  walls  were  of  considerable  thickness,  but 
are  now  a  mass  of  ruins. 

There  is  no  evidence  of  the  date  of  the  erection  of  Kirkhope,  but  it 


FIRST    FLOOR 


GROUND    FLOOR 


PIG.  327. — Kirkhope  Tower.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor,  and  View  from  South- West. 

was  doubtless  built  after  the  year  1535,  when  an  Act  of  Parliament  on 
the  building  of  Border  peles  and  barmkins  was  framed.  The  Act  requires 
that  the  proprietor  "  sail  big  ane  sufficient  barmkyn  upon  his  heritage  and 
landis,  of  stane  and  lyme,  contenand  thre  score  futis  of  the  square,  ane 


KIRKIIOPE    TOWER 


—    407    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


eln  thick,  and  six  elnes  heicht  for  the  resett  and  defense  of  him,  his 
tennents,  and  his  gudis  in  troublous  tyme,  with  ane  toure  in  the  samen 
for  himself  gif  he  thinks  it  expedient.  And  all  ather  landit  men  of 
smaller  rent  and  reuenew  big  pelis  and  greit  strenthis  as  they  plese  for 
saifing  of  thamselfs,  &c. ;  and  that  all  the  saidis  strenthis,  barmkynis,  and 
pelis  .be  biggit  and  completit  within  twa  yeris  under  pane."  But,  as 
observed  in  connection  with  Sniailholrn  Tower,*  it  is  doubtful  if  this 


Fio.  32S.— Kirkhope  Tower.    View  from  North-East. 

Act  was  ever  passed.    The  style  of  the  work  clearly  belongs  to  the  Fourth 
Period. 

During  the  terrible  devastation  of  the  Borders  in  1543  the  gates  of 
Kirkhope  were  burned,  and  the  cattle  and  sheep  driven  off.  Mr.  Craig 
Brown,  in  his  History  of  Selkirkshire  (p.  353),  mentions  that  "previous  to 
its  acquisition  in  the  beginning  of  last  century  by  the  Duchess  of  Buccleuch 
(Mou mouth's  widow),  Kirkhope  belonged  to  the  Scotts  of  Harden,  one  of 
the  wealthiest  families  on  the  Scottish  border.  The  tower  itself  was 
frequently  occupied  by  the  laird's  eldest  son,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  137. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    408    — 


OAKWOOD   TOWER 


that  '  Auld  Wat '  himself,  while  he  was  yet  '  Young  Wat,'  lived  here  when 
he  wooed  and  won  the  'Flower  of  Yarrow.'"  Of  this  redoubtable  hero 
and  the  beautiful  Mary  Scott  of  Dryhope  Tower,  Border  ballads  and 
songs  are  full.  Their  marriage  took  place  in  1576,  and  in  a  note  to  the 
ballad  of  "Jamie  Telfer,"  Sir  Walter  Scott  says  that  the  marriage  contract 
still  exists  "  in  the  charter-room  of  Mr.  Scott  of  Harden." 


OAKWOOD  TOWER,*  SELKIRKSHIRE. 

A  keep  situated  about  three  or  four  miles  south-west  from  Selkirk, 
on  the  edge  of  a  steep  bank  sloping  down  to  the  valley  of  the  Ettrick,  not 


FIG.  329. — Oakwood  Tower.    Plans,  Section,  and  North  Elevation. 

*  We  are  indebted  for  the  Second  and  Third  Floor  Plans,  the  Section,  and  measured 
Elevation  of  this  tower  to  Mr.  William  Anderson. 


OAK  WOOD    TOWEK 


—    409    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


far  from  the  meeting  of  Ettrick  and  Yarrow,  and  within  a  few  miles  of 
royal  Newark  and  the  lonely  Tower  of  Kirkhope,  and  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  Border  country  made  famous  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  and  the 
Ettrick  Shepherd. 

Oakwood  Tower  is  in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  although  it  has 
been  considerably  altered  and  repaired.  It  now  forms  a  portion  of  a 
farm-steading,  the  upper  floors  being  used  as  a  granary,  and  a  wide 
opening  for  backing  carts  into,  for  the  purpose  of  loading  and  unloading 
grain,  has  been  cut  out  of  the  east  end.  The  tower  is  oblong  on  Plan 
(Fig.  329),  measuring  about  38  feet  from  east  to  west  by  about  23  feet 
6  inches  from  north  to  south,  and  about  49  feet  in  height  to  the  ridge  of 
the  roof.  It  contains  a  vaulted  ground  floor,  with  two  stories  and  attics 
above.  The  entrance  doorway  (Figs.  330  and  331),  situated  near  the  centre 


FIG.  330.— Oakwood  Tower.    Entrance  Doorway. 

of  the  north  side,  is  round-headed,  with  a  bold  flowing  moulding.  An 
inner  door  opens  from  the  entrance  passage  into  the  ground  floor,  and  from 
this  passage  a  wheel-staircase  in  the  north-west  angle  leads  to  the  various 
upper  floors.  A  peculiarity  of  this  staircase  is  the  width  of  the  newel, 
which  measures  from  2  to  3  feet  in  diameter,  and  is  built  with  small 
stones  and  mortar.  The  small  chamber  on  the  ground  floor  adjoining 
the  staircase  has  now  no  entrance  from  the  interior.  It  may  have 
entered  formerly  either  from  under  the  stair  or  by  a  trap  from  the  floor 
above.  The  door  shown  to  the  outside  is  modern.  The  hall,  on  the  first 
floor,  is  about  19  feet  6  inches  long  by  16  feet  wide.  It  contains  a  very 
fine  fireplace  in  the  north  wall  (Fig.  332).  The  opening  measures  7  feet 
2  inches  wide  by  5  feet  to  top  of  arch,  which  is  composed  of  three  stones 
jointed  in  the  method  shown.  Some  masons'  marks  are  conspicuous  on 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    410    — 


OAKWOOD    TOWER 


these  stones.  The  roof  is  entirely  modern,  and  so  are  the  intermediate 
wooden  floors.  The  square  turrets  at  the  diagonally  opposite  corners 
(Fig.  333)  are  supported  on  ornamental  corbels,  that  at  the  north-west 
angle  being  enriched  with  nail-head,  dog-tooth,  and  billet  enrichments, 


Fie.  331. — Oakwood  Tower.    View  from  North-East. 


while  in  that  at  the  south-east  angle  the  arrangement  of  the  same 
ornaments  is  reversed  (Fig.  334).  This  style  of  enrichment  was  common 
all  over  Scotland  during  the  seventeenth  century.  The  square  and 
enriched  turrets,  without  any  parapet,  are  indicative  of  a  late  date. 


OAKWOOD    TOWER 


—    411    — 


FOURTH    PEUIOU 


At  Oakwood  all  the  dressed  and  moulded  work,  corners,  and  crow- 
steps  are  of  carefully  hewn  sandstone,  and  the  general  walling  is  of 
rubble. 

From  Mr.  Craig  Brown's  work  on  Selkirkshire  we  find  that  Oakwood 
was  from  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  in  the  possession  of  a 
family  of  the  name  of  Scott.  In  1541  a  royal  charter  was  granted  to 
William  Scott  for  Oakwood  and  South  Bowhill,  in  the  neighbourhood, 
"with  the  condition  of  erecting  a  house  and  policy,"  and  supplying 
armed  horsemen  to  serve  in  the  king's  wars.  The  tower  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  built  till  about  sixty  years  after  this,  as  there  occurs  over 


FIG.  332.— Oakwood  Tower.    Fireplace  in  Hall. 

one  of  the  windows  on  the  second  floor  of  the  south  front  a  carved  stone 
(Fig.  335)  with  the  initials  R.  S.  (Robert  Scott)  and  L.  M. — probably 
those  of  his  wife,  and  believed  to  be  a  daughter  of  the  house  of  Murray — 
with  the  date  "Ano  1602."  It  is  doubtful  whether  this  stone  was  originally 
intended  for  its  present  position.  It  seems  to  be  wrought  for  the  key- 
stone of  a  moulded  arch,  and  has  been  placed  where  it  now  is  without 
any  special  fitness  for  its  position.  It  can,  therefore,  scarcely  be  regarded 
as  determining  the  date  of  the  castle ;  but  if  brought  from  an  older  build- 
ing, it  would  indicate  that  the  tower  is  of  a  later  date  than/  that  on  the 
stone,  a  view  which  would  coincide  with  the  style  of  the  structure.  The 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   412   — 


OAKWOOD    TOWER 


tympanum  of  the  dormer  above  the  carved  stone  just  referred  to  contains 
three  fleurs-de-lys  (Fig.  336),  while  the  lintel  of  one  of  the  windows  of  the 


FIG.  333.— Oak  wood  Tower.    View  from  South-West. 


east   elevation   and   some   of   the  chimney -heads  are  carved  with  dog- 
tooth ornaments  (see  Fig.  333). 


GOLDIELANDS    TOWER 


413 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Fio.  334.— Oakwood  Tower 
North-West  Angle  Turret. 


Fio.  336.— Oakwood  Tower.    Dormer. 


GOLDIELANDS  TOWER,  ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

A  simple  oblong  tower,  standing  on  a  height  above  the  right  bank  of 
the  Teviot,  about  two  miles  south  from  Hawick.  It  faces  the  valley  of 
the  Borthwick  Water,  and  commands  the  access  to  it.  The  tower  (Fig. 


Fio.  337.  -Goldielands  Tower.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

337)  measures  34  feet  by  24  feet,  with  walls  above  4  feet  in  thickness. 
The  entrance  doorway  is  on  the  ground  level,  and  the  turnpike  staircase 
adjoins  it,  and  the  partition  enclosing  it  juts  out  into  the  interior.  The 
ground  floor  contains  the  usual  vaulted  cellar,  and  on  the  first  floor  is 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    414    — 


BARNS    TOWER 


the  hall,  19  feet  6  inches  by  15  feet,  with  a  small  room  in  the  recess 
formed  by  the  projection  of  the  staircase.  The  elevations  present  no 
features  of  interest,  the  parapet  being  gono. 

Goldielands  was  the  residence  of  one  of  the  offshoots  from  the  Scotts 
of  Branxholm  towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  is  frequently 
mentioned  in  Border  song.  The  building  is  probably  of  about  the  above 
date. 

BARNS  TOWER,  PKEBLESSHIRE. 

A  well-preserved  tower  situated  close  to  the  south  bank  of  the  Tweed, 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  above  Peebles.  It  forms  a  rectangular  keep 


TH  I  RD      FLOOR 


FOURTH    FLOOR 


LINTEL  OVER 
FIRST  FLOOR  WINDOW 


GROUND    FLOOR 

lliillli'il 


SECTION 


FIG.  338. — Barns  Tower.     Plans,  Section,  &c. 


BARNS    TOWER 


—    415    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


(Fig.  338),  28  feet  by  20  feet,  and  is  three  stories  in  height,  with  an  attic. 
The  ground  floor  is  vaulted.  The  building  has  been  considerably  altered, 
and  the  roof  and  floors  are  modern.  The  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  339)  on 
the  ground  floor  still  retains  its  grated  iron  yett,  which  Dr.  Christison 
regards  as  probably  the  oldest  in  Scotland.  The  tower  was  originally  on 
a  level  site,  but  the  ground  around  it  has  been  excavated,  so  that  it  now 
stands  on  an  isolated  knoll.  There  used  to  be  a  tripod  beacon  light 
lying  in  the  attic,  which  has  now  found  a  place  in  the  museum  at 
Peebles.  Opposite  the  entrance  door  another  door  leads  into  the  vaulted 
basement,  and  a  stair  in  the  thickness  of  the  north-west  wall  conducts 
to  the  hall  on  the  first  floor,  which  is  17  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet.  The 
stair  from  the  first  to  the  second  floor  has  been  entirely  altered,  the 


FIG.  339.— Barns  Tower.    View  from  South-West. 

remains  of  the  old  stair  being  still  visible.  There  was  probably  a 
garde-robe  where  the  present  stair  now  is,  as  there  is  an  opening  or  shoot 
in  the  outer  wall  just  below  that  point. 

The  upper  part  of  the  tower  is  entirely  altered,  a  modern  roof  with 
gables  being  substituted  for  the  original  parapet.  The  chimney  on  the 
west  gable  is  a  false  one,  as  there  are  no  fireplaces  in  that  wall.  The 
building  is  rough  cast,  and  much  overgrown  with  ivy. 

This  tower  belonged  in  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  to  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  ancient  family  of  the  Burnets  of  Burnetland,  who  estab- 
lished themselves  in  the  Manor  district  in  the  fourteenth  century.  On  the 
lintel  of  the  window  above  the  doorway  are  carved  the  initials  W.  B.  and 
M.  S.  (see  Fig.  338)  for  William  Burnet  and  his  wife,  Margaret  Stewart  of 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    416    — 


CTASTLEHILL 


Traquair.  This  laird,  who  was  well  known  by  the  nickname  of  "Howlet," 
"was  renowned  (1591)  for  his  sagacity  in  conducting  midnight  expedi- 
tions."* He  was  also  a  staunch  cavalier,  and  appeared  at  the  Weapon 
Show  of  1627  "well  horsed,  with  a  buff-coat  and  steel  bonnet,  lance 
and  sword,  accompanied  with  seven  horsemen."! 

The  date  1498   is   cut  in  the  lintel  of  the  entrance  door,  but  this 
inscription  appears  to  be  of  comparatively  modern  origin. 


CASTLEHILL,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

A  ruin  (Fig.  340)  situated  about  two  and  a  half  miles  up  the  valley 
of  the  Manor,  a  southern  tributary  of  the  Tweed,  and  about  four  and  a 
half  miles  from  Peebles.  This  was  probably  a  seat  of  the  Burnets  of 
Barns;  at  least  it  belonged  to  them  from  1716  to  1760. 

The  tower,  which  has  been  a  rectangular  block  37  feet  6  inches  by 
39  feet  6  inches  (Fig.  341),  stands  on  a  rocky  knoll  between  the  public 
road  and  the  river.  It  is  a  much  stronger  building  than  Barns,  the 
walls  being  about  7  feet  thick.  There  are  two  vaulted  cellars  on  the 


FIG.  340.— Castlehill. 

ground  level  with  the  rock  for  their  floor.  The  entrance  is  on  the  side 
next  the  river,  and  has  had  an  iron  yett  and  stair  in  the  thickness  of  the 
wall  very  similar  to  those  of  Barns.  Of  the  first  floor  there  only  remains 
the  west  and  part  of  the  south  wall.  This  floor  has  also  been  vaulted, 
and  contains  the  remains  of  a  wheel-stair  at  the  north-west  corner  (see 
Fig.  341).  There  is  an  arched  recess  in  the  wall  in  the  basement  under 
this  stair,  and  a  similar  recess  occurs  at  Barns  in  the  same  position.  A 
new  iron  yett  has  recently  been  put  on  in  imitation  of  that  at  Barns, 
*  Chambers's  Peeblesshire,  p.  400.  t  Ibid.  p.  400. 


POSSO    CASTLE 


—   417   — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


GROUND  FLOOR   PLAN 


FIRST   FLOOR     PLAN 
Fio.  341.— Castlehill.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

and  the  top  of  the  vault  and  some  of  the  walls  have  been  covered  with 
cement  for  preservation. 


POSSO  CASTLE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

The  ancient  seat  of  the  Bairds,  who  were  succeeded  in  the  sixteenth 
century  by  the  Naesmyths. 

It  is  now  a  ruin,  situated  about  four  miles  up  the  Manor  valley,  and 
six  miles  from  Peebles.  A  few  fragments  of  walls  are  all  that  remain. 

2D 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  418  — 


NETHER    HORSBURGH    CASTLE 


It  seems  to  have  been  an  L-shaped  courtyard  7G  feet  by  68  feet,  with 
a  small  keep  at  the  northern  end  30  feet  6  inches  by  24  feet  6  inches, 
the  walls  of  which  were  4  feet  3  inches  thick. 

WRAE  CASTLE. 

A  tower  situated  on  the  western  side  of  the  Tweed,  about  ten  miles 
above  Peebles,  and  now  consists  of  only  a  fragment  of  considerable  height 
of  one  angle  of  the  building. 

It  belonged  to  a  branch  of  the  Tweedies. 

HORS BURGH   CASTLE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

The  seat  of  the  Horsburghs,  who  were  for  generations  sheriff-deputes 
of  Peeblesshire,  and  are  considered  the  oldest  territorial  family  in  the 
country.* 

The  ruins  of  the  castle  are  situated  on  a  remarkably  prominent  knoll 
two  miles  below  Peebles,  from  which  it  overlooks  the  Tweed,  and  com- 
mands a  view  of  Peebles,  and  Neidpath  in  the  distance.  It  forms  a 
prominent  object  in  the  landscape,  but  on  closer  examination  consists 
of  only  a  few  fragments  of  walls  about  4  feet  thick,  with  traces  of  stairs 
at  two  places.  Some  years  ago  the  walls,  which  are  of  whinstone,  were 
patched  up  in  a  rather  injudicious  manner. 


NETHER   HORSBURGH   CASTLE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

Another  ruin  erected  by  the  same  family  as  the  preceding!  (Fig.  342). 
Situated  beside  a  mountain  stream  which  flows  into  the  Tweed  about  three 


Fio.  342.  —  Nether  Horsburgh  Castle.     View. 
*  Chambers's  Peeblesshire,  p.  128.  t  Ibid.  p.  374. 


HIRKNDEAN    CASTLE 


—  419  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


miles  below  Peebles,  and  on  its  northern  side.  It  is  a  rectangular  keep  32 
feet  by  26  feet,  with  walls  4  feet  3  inches  thick,  but  is  in  a  state  of  complete 
ruin.  The  basement  has  been  vaulted,  and  the  door  seems  to  have  been 
on  the  northern  side.  Some  of  the  walls  are  three  stories  high,  but  are 
very  fragmentary.  There  are  traces  of  a  stair  at  the  north-east  corner,  but 
the  east  wall  is  entirely  gone.  The  structure  is  all  built  with  whinstone. 


HUTCHEONFIELD  TOWER,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

The  ruins   of   a   small   vaulted  tower  on  the  hill    face   overlooking 
Eddlestone  Water,  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  north  from  Peebles. 
Nothing  now  remains  but  a  vault. 


HIRENDEAN   CASTLE,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

This  castle  stands  about  five  miles  south  from  Temple.  It  has  a 
lonely  situation  (Fig.  343)  at  the  base  of  the  Moorfoot  Hills,  which  tower 
behind  the  castle  in  picturesque  groups  ranging  in  height  from  about 
1700  to  2000  feet. 


Fio.  343.—  Hirendean  Castle.    View  from  North. 


As  will  be  seen  from  the  Sketch  very  little  of  the  castle  remains — 
merely  a  corner — and  no  description  of  it  can  be  given  further  than  that 
it  has  been  a  small  keep,  the  foundations  of  which  are  probably  buried 
beneath  the  green-covered  mounds  seen  in  the  View.  While  thus  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   420   — 


MINTO    TOWER 


outward  aspect  of  the  castle  has  almost  entirely  disappeared,  its  history 
has  likewise  vanished.  In  answer  to  a  question  on  this  subject  in  the 
Scotsman  of  13th  August  1889,  it  was  stated  that  the  lands  of  Moorfoot, 
or  Morthuweit,  on  which  Hirendean  stands,  "  were  granted  by  David  I. 
to  the  Abbey  of  Newbattle  about  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century. 
The  deed  of  gift  is  contained  in  a  charter,  which  is  to  be  found  in  the 
Book  of  Newbattle  (Bannatyne  Club  Publications)."  At  the  Reformation 
these  lands,  along  with  the  other  valuable  properties  belonging  to  the 
Abbey,  fell  into  the  possession  of  Mark  Ker,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the 
castle  was  built  by  one  of  his  family. 


MINTO  TOWER,*  OR  FAT  LIPS  TOWER,  ROXBURGHSHIRE. 
This  tower  stands  on  a  rujjced  situation  on  the  summit  of  the  well- 


known  Minto  Craigs. 


PIG.  344. — Miiito  Tower.     East  and  North  Elevations. 

The  upper  part  of  the  building  above  the  corbelling  (Fig.  344)  has 
lately  been  restored,  but  all  beneath  is  old.  As  it  now  stands  it 
presents  a  favourable  specimen  of  a  Border  keep,  having  the  usual 

*  For  the  drawings  of  this  keep  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  William  Anderson, 
architect,  Galashiels. 


TIMPENDEAN    CASTLE 


_    421    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


vaulted  ground  floor  (Fig.  345),  comprising  a  lower  story,  with  an  upper 
loft  in  the  vault,  and  three  stories  above,  the  floors  of  which  are  of  timber 
supported  on  stone  corbels,  the  whole  being  served  with  a  narrow  wheel- 
stair  in  the  south-east  corner,  which  commences  on  the  ground  level  just 
inside  the  doorway. 


FIG.  345.— Minto  Tower.     Plans  and  Section. 

The  building  measures  over  the  walls  32  feet  6  inches  by  26  feet 
9  inches,  and  contains  one  room  only  on  each  floor,  and  has  no  mural 
closets.  The  three  upper  floors  contain  each  a  fireplace.  They  are  well 
lighted,  the  first  floor  having  a  look-out  all  round  from  windows  provided 
with  stone  seats. 

Fat  Lips  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  keep  of  the  Turnbulls. 


TIMPENDEAN  CASTLE,  ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

A  simple  tower,  which  stands  on  rising  ground  between  the  valley 
of  the   Teviot  and  that  of   the  Jed,   about  three  miles   north-west   of 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  422  — 


TIMPENDEAN   CASTLE 


Jedburgh.  From  a  curve  cut  out  of  the  south-west  angle  of  the  walls 
(Fig.  346)  it  would  appear  that  additions  were  at  one  time  made  or 
contemplated  on  the  west  side  of  the  tower,  and  some  "  tusks  "  or  bond 
stones  projecting  westwards  from  the  north  and  south  walls  (Fig.  347) 
seem  to  point  to  the  same  conclusion.  But  these  additions,  if  they  ever 
existed,  have  been  completely  removed  and  the  old  tower  again  stands 
alone,  and  almost  in  its  original  form,  except  where  ruined.  The  entrance 
door  in  the  east  wall,  and  probably  the  fireplace  in  the  basement,  were,  how- 
ever, alterations  made  at  the  time  of  the  proposed  additions.  The  tower  is 
29  feet  from  east  to  west,  by  24  feet  from  north  to  south,  and  has  walls 
about  4  feet  in  thickness.  The  original  entrance  doorway  is  in  the  north 
side.  It  is  a  plain  circular-headed  opening  with  outer  rebate  for  an  iron 
yett,  and  inner  rebate  for  a  wooden  door.  The  entrance  to  the  cellar 
in  the  basement,  which  is  vaulted,  is  opposite  the  entrance  door,  and  the 
entrance  passage  gives  access  on  the  left  to  the  circular  staircase  in  the 


FIRST 


FLOOR 


GROUND 


FLOOR 


FIG.  346.—  Timpendean  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

north-east  angle.  The  walls  of  the  basement  are  pierced  with  shot- 
holes.  The  first  floor  contained  the  hall  (17  feet  by  16  feet  3  inches) 
and  a  small  apartment  or  recess,  9  feet  by  5  feet  4  inches  at  the  east 
side.  The  fireplace  is  8  feet  6  inches  wide.  The  hall  has  been  lighted 
by  windows  in  the  north  and  south  walls.  A  stone  sink  is  inserted  in 
the  wall  of  the  staircase  nearly  on  the  level  of  the  hall  floor.  There 
have  been  two  floors  above  the  hall,  but  they  are  now  greatly  destroyed, 
the  side  walls  being  almost  entirely  broken  away. 

A  small  stream  flows  past  the  south  side,  and,  in  a  slight  ravine, 


CORBKTT   CASTLE 


—  423  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


along  the  east  side  of  the  tower.  Artificial  ditches  are  still  traceable 
along  the  south  and  west  sides,  as  many  as  three  successive  mounds  and 
hollows  being  observable  to  the  west.  The  ground  rises  to  the  south, 
and  there  the  ditch  seems  to  have  been  dammed  up  and  filled  with  water. 
How  far  these  ditches  have  been  intended  for  defence,  or  whether  they 


FIG.  347.—  Timpendean  C'astle.    View  from  North-Weot. 

have  formed  part  of  a  Dutch  garden  connected  with  the  enlarged  mansion, 
it  is  difficult  to  determine.  They  are  much  better  preserved  than  earth- 
works of  that  kind  generally  are. 

Timpendean  formed  part  of  the  territory  of  Bonjed worth,  and  remained 
in  the  family  of  Douglas  from  1497  till  the  present  century.* 


CORBETT  CASTLE,  ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

A  small  tower  (Fig.  348)  standing  on  the  top  of  the  steep  bank  which 

bounds  the  valley  of  the  Kale  Water,  about  one  mile  south  from  Morebattle. 

The  tower  (Fig.  349)  measures  only  22  feet  2  inches  by  16  feet  4  inches 

externally.    It  has  contained  a  single  small  apartment  on  each  floor,  but  the 

*  Jeffrey's  Roxburghshire,  Vol.  11.  p.  374. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    424    — 


COKBETT   CASTLE 


building  having  been  partly  reconstructed  and  modernised  internally,  the 
original  arrangements  cannot  now  be  determined.  The  entrance  doorway, 
which  is  original,  is  on  the  ground  floor.  It  contains  a  rebate  on  the  outside 
for  the  iron  yett,  as  well  as  one  on  the  inside  for  the  wooden  door.  -  The 
lintel  of  this  doorway  (Fig.  350)  is  remarkable  from  its  containing  the 
sacred  monogram  I.  H.  S.,  together  with  the  initials  of  the  founder  and 


FIG.  348.  -  Corbett  Castle.     View  from  South-West. 

those  of  his  wife,  with  the  date.  This  property,  like  the  adjoining 
Gateshaw,  may  possibly  have  been  of  old  a  possession  of  the  Abbey  of 
Melrose,  which  connection  may  be  intended  to  be  marked  in  this  way. 
Corbett  doubtless  belonged  at  an  early  date  to  a  proprietor  of  the  same 
name,  "one  of  the  oldest  surnames  in  Scotland."*  It  afterwards  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  Kers,  and  from  the  initials  on  the  lintel  the  present 
*  Jeffrey's  Roxburghshire,,  Vol.  n.  p.  307- 


\ 


COWDENKNOWES 


—    425    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


structure  was  evidently  built  by  one  of  that  family.      The  walls  are 
well  pierced  with  shot-holes  for  defence.     The  upper  part  of  the  tower 


FIG.  349.  — Corbett  Castle.    Plan. 


has  been   reconstructed   and  the  parapet  removed,  so  that   the   Sketch 
gives  but  an  imperfect  representation  of  its  original  appearance. 


FIG.  350.— Corbett  Castle.    Monogram,  <fce.,  011  Lintel  of  Doorway. 


COWDENKNOWES,  BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  tower  (Fig.  351),  now  connected  with  a  modern  mansion,  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Leader,  about  one  mile  south  from  Earlston.  It  was  formerly 
the  seat  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Earls  of  Home. 

The  tower  measures  22  feet  by  18  feet,  and  contained  rooms  14  feet  by 
11  feet.  It  has  been  a  rather  ornate  and  characteristic  example  of  the 
Border  pele  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  style  of  corbelling  and  con- 
struction of  the  parapet  show  that  the  structure  is  late.  It  seems  further 
to  have  been  altered  at  a  subsequent  time,  when  the  embrasures  have 
been  changed  and  the  gables  and  chimneys  added. 

The  archway  in  the  east  side,  and  the  ornamental  work  round  it  now 
forming  the  entrance  to  the  mansion-house  on  the  west,  are  entirely 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    426    — 


CORSB1E    CASTLE 


FIG.  851.— Cowdenknowea.    View  from  North-East. 

modern.     The  ground  floor  of  the  tower  thus  serves  as  the  entrance  hall 
to  the  mansion. 


CORSBIE  CASTLE,  BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  keep  (Fig.  352),  situated  in  a  bog  near  the  source  of  the  Water  of 
Eden,  and  about  four  miles  north  from  Earlston.  It  consists  of  the  ruins 
of  two  sides  of  a  small  tower  with  rounded  angles,  and  has  been  substan- 
tially built  with  coursed  ashlar  and  rubble  between,  as  shown  in  Fig.  353. 


COUSI3IE   CASTLE 


—  427  — 


FOURTII    PERIOD 


As  the  remaining  walls  stand  on  a  high  position  they  form  a  conspicuous 
object  in  the  view  for  some  distance  around. 


PIG.  352.— Corsbie  Castle.    Plan. 


Corsbie  appears  to  have  belonged  at  an  early  period  to  the  Cranstouns 
of  Oxenford,  and  in  1635  it  was  still  in  their  possession. 


FIG.  353.— Corsbie  Castle.    View. 

Ihe  castle  is  stated  in  the  New  Statistical  Account  to  have  been  built 
in  the  reign  of  James  n.,  but  the  present  structure  appears  to  be  of  a 
later  date. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  428  — 


CRANSHAWS   CASTLE 


CRANSHAWS  CASTLE,  BERWICKSHIRE. 

A  well-preserved  pele  tower  of  the  Fourth  Period,  standing  amongst 
the  Lammermoors,  about  nine  miles  north-west  from  Dunse.     It  measures 


GROUND   FLOOR 


SECOND  FLOOR 


Fir..  354. — Craushnws  Castle.     Plans. 


(Fig.  354)  40  feet  by  26  feet,  and  is  rounded  on  the  angles.     The  original 
entrance  doorway  has  been   on  the  west  side  adjoining  the  wheel-stair, 


FIG.  355.— Cranshaws  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 


CRANSIIAWS    CASTLE 


—  429  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


which  runs  to  the  roof.  The  pele  is  five  stories  high  (Fig.  356),  and  has 
originally  contained  the  cellars  or  stores  on  the  ground  floor  (which  is  not 
vaulted).  Above  this  is  an  entresol,  which  may  have  been  the  kitchen. 


PANEL     BUILT    INTO     INSIDE  WALL   Of 
CRAMSHAWS     CHURCH. 


WEST  ELEVATION  «°u™  n*v*Tiort 

Pio.  356. — Cranshaws  Castle.    Elevations,  Section,  &c. 

The    hall    occupied    the    second    floor,    and    bedrooms   the   two   upper 
stories. 

From  the  way  in  which  the  staircase  wall  breaks  into  the  interior,  the 


FOURTH  PERIOD  -  430  CARBERRY  TOWER 

small  space  adjoining  naturally  formed  a  separate  room  on  each  floor.  The 
interior  is  now  cut  up  with  partitions,  as  shown. 

The  parapet  (Fig.  355),  which  is  46  feet  from  the  ground,  is  well 
preserved.  It  has  a  simple  row  of  corbels  and  bold  gargoyles,  but  is 
without  angle  bartizans.  The  parapet  walk  is  clear  all  round  for  defence. 
Cranshaws  formerly  belonged  to  the  Douglases,  and  is  now  the  seat  of 
Lord  Aberdour,  the  eldest  son  of  the  Earl  of  Morton. 

The  panel  with  arms  (shown  on  Fig.  356),  is  in  the  interior  of  the 
church  of  Cranshaws.  It  is  said  that  James  vi.,  when  attending  the 
service  there,  observed  that  the  clergyman  omitted  to  pray  for  the  Royal 
Family.  The  king  therefore  sent  this  carving  of  the  royal  arms  that  it 
might  be  erected  in  face  of  the  pulpit,  so  as  to  remind  the  clergyman  of 
his  duty  to  the  Crown. 


GAMMELSHIEL  CASTLE,  HADDINGTONSHIRE. 

This  ruin  is  situated  in  a  secluded  glen  beside  a  small  burn,  near  the 
source  of  the  Whitadder  Water  (Steiiton  Parish),  and  consists  of  a  frag- 


Fio.  357.— Gammelshiel  Castle.    View. 


ment  of  the  east  end  of  a  small  keep,  with  walls  (Fig.  357)  4  feet  6  inches 
thick.  The  ground  floor  has  been  vaulted,  and  the  building  is  entirely 
of  whinstone. 


CARBERRY  TOWER,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

Situated    on  the  slope  of  the  famous  Carberry  Hill,  overlooking  the 
plain  by  which  was  the  principal  approach  to  Edinburgh  from  the  east. 
The  ancient  keep  (Fig.  358)  now  forms  the  vestibule  to  a  spacious 


CARBERRY   TOWER 


—   431    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


modern  mansion  which  is  attached  to  it.  The  porch  and  enlarged  Tudor 
windows  shown  in  View  (Fig.  359)  are  modern  ;  so  likewise  is  the  top  of 
the  staircase  turret,  while  the  interior  has  been  entirely  renovated.  The 


Fio.  358.— Carberry  Tower.    Plan  of  Upper  Floor. 

tower  is  one  of  remarkable  strength.  It  is  twice  vaulted — first,  over  the 
ground  floor,  and  second,  beneath  the  flat  roof,  which  was  evidently  con- 
structed for  guns.  The  parapet  is,  as  will  be  seen,  of  great  thickness,  and 


FIG.  359.— Carberry  Tower.    View  from  North-East. 

has  broad  sloping  copings  of  unusual  size.     At  one  corner  a '  square  stone 
stand  is  prepared  for  an  iron  beacon  (see  Fig.  359),  and  in  the  parapet 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    432    — 


CRAMOND    TOWER 


wall  will  be  observed  two  widely-splayed  gun-holes.    The  corbelling  course 
beneath  the  parapet  (Fig.  360)  is  very  peculiar,  and  closely  resembles  that 

of  the  palace  in  Stirling  Castle.  The 
ornament  consists  of  a  succession  of 
cherubs  with  heads  and  outstretched 
wings,  instead  of  the  usual  projecting 
corbels. 

In  the  year  1547  Carberry  became 
the  property  of  Hugh  Rigg,  advocate. 
He  was  a  man  of  importance  in  his 
day,  and  probably  built  the  tower. 
According  to  Small's  Castles  of  the 
Lothians,  Carberry  afterwards  became 
the  property  of  Sir  Robert  Dickson, 
who  was  proprietor  of  the  barony  of 
Inveresk.  It  remained  in  his  family 
till  about  the  beginning  of  last  cen- 
tury, when  it  was  sold  to  the  Duchess 
of  Monmouth.  It  was  afterwards 
acquired  by  John  Fullerton,  Esq.,  whose  niece  married  William,  son  of 
the  tenth  Lord  Elphinstone ;  and  since  1802  it  has  been  the  residence  of 
the  Elphinstone  family. 

This  tower  is  remarkable  as  indicating  the  endeavours  made  after  the 
introduction  of  firearms  to  render  the  old  keep  suitable  for  the  use 
of  artillery.  A  similar  parapet,  with  level  platform  for  working  guns, 
may  be  seen  on  the  top  of  the  high  enclosing  wall  at  Tantallon.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  accommodation  of  this  keep,  notwithstanding 
the  expenditure  on  the  defences,  is  extremely  limited,  consisting  of  a 
single  small  apartment,  about  20  feet  by  16  feet,  on  each  floor.  The  walls 
are  7  feet  in  thickness. 


FIG.  360.— Carberry  Tower. 
Corbelling  Course. 


CRAMOND  TOWER,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

This  remarkable  tower  is  situated  in  the  private  grounds  of  Cramond 
House,  anciently  called  the  barony  of  Nether  Cramond,  adjoining  the 
village  of  the  same  name,  and  overlooks  the  Frith  of  Forth,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  River  Almond.  It  is  in  an  unfortunate  condition,  being 
entirely  crowned  with  ivy  (Fig.  361),  which  has  got  such  a  hold  of  it  (the 
branches  in  some  places  going  through  the  walls)  as  to  greatly  imperil  its 
safety ;  while  on  the  top,  in  consequence  of  the  roots  of  saplings  pene- 
trating the  walls  and  arch,  the  masonry  is  becoming  dangerous.  This  is 
greatly  to  be  regretted,  as  the  structure  is  somewhat  unique,  and  might 
be  easily  preserved  from  decay.  This  tower  is  probably  a  part  of  what 


CBAMOND    TOWEK 


—    433    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


was  once  the  palace  of  the  Bishops  of  Dunkeld.  It  is  of  small  dimensions 
(Fig.  362),  measuring  25  feet  by  22  feet  over  the  walls,  so  that  the  vaulted 
basement  forms  an  apartment  only  15  feet  6  inches  by  12  feet,  and  12  feet 
high  to  the  crown  of  the  arch  (see  Sections,  Fig.  362).  The  total  height 
of  the  tower  as  it  stands  is  about  46  feet  6  inches,  but  it  has  lost  the  cape- 
house,  which  once  doubtless  existed  above  the  circular  staircase  turret, 
which  projects  beyond  the  face  of  the  south  wall  at  the  east  corner,  and 


Fio.  301.— Cramond  Tower.    View  from  South- West. 

continues  to  the  top  of  the  tower.  This  stair  is  entire,  but  is  almost 
choked  up  at  the  top  with  the  ivy  and  young  trees  above  referred  to. 
The  entrance  is  in  the  centre  of  the  south  front  by  a  semi-circular 
arch,  on  the  outside  of  which  a  square  recess  is  formed,  as  if  for 
an  iron  yett  or  a  drawbridge  (Fig.  363).  A  passage  leads  straight 
through  the  wall,  5  feet  3  inches  thick,  to  the  ground  floor,  which 
is  down  five  steps.  In  the  north-west  corner  of  this  apartment  there 
is  a  slight  square  recess  in  the  wall,  arched  over  on  top,'  which  has 
had  projecting  jambs  checked  for  a  door,  but  these  are  now  reduced 

2  R 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  434  — 


CRAMOND    TOWER 


to  the  foundation  stones.  A  door  in  the  entrance  passage  on  the  right 
hand  leads  to  the  stair.  The  first  and  second  floors  are  constructed 
of  timber,  and  are  entire,  although  very  frail.  The  first  floor  has  a  wide 
recess  in  the  south  wall,  which  is  thus  rendered  very  thin,  the  object 
evidently  being  to  gain  space.  The  wall  above  is  restored  to  its  original 
thickness,  as  shown  on  Section  looking  east,  and,  instead  of  being  arched 
over  in  stone,  is  supported  on  timber  beams.  The  fireplace  is  interesting, 


FCTlON  LOOKING  EAST      SECTION  LOOKING 


GROUND     FLOOR 


SECOND    FLOOR 


FIG.  362. — Cramond  Tower.    Plans  and  Sections. 


and  is  shown  on  the  Section  looking  west.  It  has  projecting  jambs,  with 
corbels  at  the  level  of  the  lintel,  having  a  hood  above  of  slight  projection. 
There  are  two  wall  presses  in  the  room  with  their  original  doors,  one  of 
which,  about  4  feet  10  inches  high,  divided  into  six  panels,  is  shown  on 
Section  looking  east ;  adjoining  this  press  in  the  east  wall  there  appears 
to  have  been  a  high  entrance  door,  now  partly  built  up.  This  room  is 
feebly  lighted,  having  only  a  mere  "  bole  "  alongside  the  fireplace  and  a 
small  window  in  the  recess  of  the  south  wall. 


CRAMOND    TOWER 


—  435  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  upper  floors  are  of  similar  dimensions,  but  without  the  recess. 

The  second  floor  room  has  a  fireplace  resembling  that  of  the  first  floor, 
having  an  arched  opening  with  a  "bole"  or  small  window  opening  into 
the  back  of  it.  This  "  bole  "  and  a  window  in  the  south  wall,  furnished 
with  stone  seats,  give  all  the  light  on  this  floor.  A  press  in  the  north 
wall  still  retains  its  old  door.  Adjoining  the  entrance  there  is  a  garde-robe 
in  the  thickness  of  the  east  wall. 


FIG.  363.  --Cramond  Tower.    Entrance  Doorway. 

The  upper  floor,  which  is  vaulted,  doubtless  in  order  to  carry  a  stone 
roof,  contains  only  one  window  in  the  east  wall,  with  no  other  opening  or 
recess  of  any  kind. 

This  tower  has  a  considerable  resemblance  to  the  remaining  tower  at 
Mugdock,  and  is  of  about  the  same  size  in  width  and  height  (see  page  308). 
It  is  therefore  not  improbable  that,  like  the  one  at  Mugdock,  this  is  a 
tower  built  on  the  walls  of  defence  of  a  large  castle,  and  that  the  high  door 
in  the  first  floor  may  have  opened  on  to  the  parapet. 

Almost  no  details  remain  to  enable  the  date  of  the  tower  to  be  fixed  ; 
but  so  far  as  can  be  gathered  from  the  existing  features,  it  sterns  to  be  of 
the  earlier  part  of  the  sixteenth  centui'y. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    436    — 


LAMINGTON    TOWER 


An  interesting  sun-dial,  which  will  be  illustrated  in  Vol.  iv.  along 
with  the  other  Scottish  sun-dials,  stands  in  the  grounds  adjoining  the 
tower. 

The  Bishops  of  Dunkeld,  according  to  Sir  James  Dalrymple,  pos- 
sessed part  of  the  lands  of  "  Karramond,"  called  "  Bishops  Cramond," 
in  the  time  of  William  the  Lion  (1165  to  1214),  and  two  Bishops 
of  Dunkeld  died  here — the  second  Bishop  in  1173,  and  the  seventh 
Bishop  in  1214.  In  1409,  according  to  Wood's  History  of  the  Parish, 
the  then  Bishop  of  Dunkeld  made  "  an  exchange  of  his  lands  of  Cammo, 
in  this  parish,  for  the  tower  of  Cramond."  The  indenture  is  dated  at 
Auchtertool.  The  Bishop,  with  consent  of  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Dun- 
keld, granted  to  "John  de  Nudre  his  lands  of  Cambow."  "In  exchange, 
Nudre  granted  and  resigned  for  ever  to  the  said  Bishop,  and  his  successors 
in  the  See  of  Dunkeld,  his  Tower,  situated  within  the  Church  town  of 
Cramond,  and  all  the  lands,"  &c.,  &c.  Mr.  Wood  reconciles  the  apparent 
contradiction  in  the  above  dates  "by  showing  that  the  Bishops  had  property 
at  Cramond  previous  to  the  excambion."  Mr.  Wood  considered  this  to 
be  the  "Tower"  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  transaction,  and  mentions 
(writing  in  1794)  that  "at  the  W.  end  was  a  chapel,  now  entirely 
demolished,  and  the  edifice  appears  to  have  extended  to  the  N.  and  E." 


LAMINGTON  TOWER,  LANARKSHIRE. 

This  fragment  of  the  old  keep  of  the  lairds  of  Lamington,  beautifully 
situated  on  the  Clyde,  not  far  from  Lamington  Station,  is  interesting  from 
its  supposed  connection  with  Marion  Bradfute,  the  wife  of  William 
Wallace.  Marion  was  the  only  child  of  the  proprietor  of  Lamington,  and 
was  carried  off  to  Lanark  by  Hazelrig,  who  had  been  appointed  by 


FIG.  364. — Lamington  Tower.    Plan. 


Edward  I.  governor  of  that  town  and  its  castle.  Here  she  became  the 
wife  of  Wallace,  and  on  one  occasion  she  saved  him  from  the  English 
soldiers  by  allowing  him  to  escape  by  the  back  garden.  For  this  natural 
act  of  kindness  she  was  barbarously  slain  by  his  pursuers — a  deed  of 


LAMINGTON    TOWER 


—  437  — 


FOURTH    PKKIOU 


cruelty  which  was  .afterwards  well  avenged  by  Wallace  when  he  attacked 
and  took  the  castle. 

The  Baillies  of  Lamington  were  descended  from  Marion  Bradfute,  and 
are  now  represented  by  the  present  noble  proprietor,  Lord  Lamington.* 

The  existing  Tower  of  Lamington,  however,  does  not  belong  to  the 
age  of  Wallace.  It  has  evidently  been  a  simple  keep  of  the  Fourth 
Period,  but  is  now  reduced  (Fig.  364)  to  portions  of  the  west  and  south 
walls  and  the  foundations  of  the  north  and  east  walls.  It  stands  on  a 
gravel  mound  which  rises  abeve  the  level  "  haugh  "  of  the  river. 

The  tower  measures  38  feet  9  inches  from  east  to  west  by  31  feet  9 
inches  from  north  to  south.  The  ground  floor  has  been  vaulted,  but  the 
vault  is  now  demolished.  The  hall,  which  was  about  25  feet  by  15  feet, 
occupied  the  first  floor.  It  had  a  large  window  to  the  west,  with  the 
ingoing  and  arch  over  it  carefully  dressed.  There  has  also  been  a  window 


FIG.  305. — Lainingtoii  Tower.    View  from  South-West. 

to  the  south.  The  opening  through  the  south  wall  adjoining  the  window 
was  probably  a  wall-chamber,  which  has  now  been  partly  built  up  to 
strengthen  the  ruin.  At  the  north-west  angle  the  remains  of  a  well-formed 
wall-chamber  or  garde-robe  are  observable. 

The  fireplace  of  the  hall  was  probably  in  the  east  or  south  walls, 
which  are  now  demolished.  The  entrance  door  and  wheel-stair  would  also 
be  in  the  part  of  the  structure  which  is  gone.  The  corner  turret  on  the 
north-west  angle,  however,  still  survives  (Fig.  365),  and  indicates  by  the 
small  corbelling  which  supports  it  the  date  of  the  building.  This,  as 
already  stated,  was  in  the  Fourth  Period.  A  stone  bearing  the  shield 
(nine  stars)  of  the  Baillies  (Fig.  366)  has  been  removed  from  "  Wallace's 
Tower  "  and  inserted  in  the  gable  of  the  Episcopal  Chapel  at  Lamington, 
as  stated  on  the  inscription  beneath  it.  The  design  of  'the  shield  is 
*  Vere  Irving's  Upper  Ward  of  Lanarkshire,  Vol.  I.  p.  222. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    438    — 


STONEBYRES 


evidently  also  of  the  Fourth  Period — probably  towards  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century. 

The  lands  of  Lamington  belonged  from  an 
early  period  to  the  monks  of  Newbattle,  and  a 
beautiful  relic  of  their  sway  is  preserved  in  the 
fine  Norman  doorway  of  the  church,  erected  by 
them  in  the  twelfth  century,  and  still  used  as 
the  parish  church,  although  this  doorway  is  now 

,     ..  F)o.  366.— Lamington  Tower, 

built  up.  Shield  of  the  Baillies. 


STONEBYKES,*  LANARKSHIRE. 

A  mansion  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Clyde,  about  three  miles 
below  Lanark,  and  near  the  famous  waterfall  of  the  same  name. 

Previous  to  1850,  when  the  present  mansion  encasing  the  old  structure 
was  erected,  the  latter  consisted  of  an  oblong  tower,  about  70  feet  long 
by  34  feet  wide,  and  five  stories  high.  This  building  (Fig.  367)  appears  to 


SECOND      FLOG) 


THIRD      FLOOR 


GROUND    FLOOR: 


FIRST    FLOOR 


FIG.  367.— Stonebyres.    Plans. 


have  been  composed  of  two  parts — viz.,  an  ancient  square  tower  with  an 
oblong  addition  at  one  end.  The  former,  which  was  probably  the  original 
keep,  was  34  feet  by  29  feet,  with  walls  of  8  or  9  feet  in  thickness.  It 

*  The  Plans  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Bryce,  and  the  View  is  taken  from 
a  scarce  lithograph  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  Baird,  architect,  Glasgow. 


CASTLE   GARY 


439    — 


FOURT1I    PERIOD 


had  an  entrance  doorway  on  the  ground  floor,  with  a  wheel-stair  adjoining 
in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  which  also  contained  passages  on  the  upper 
floors. 

The  wing,  with  walls  about  6  feet  in  thickness,  contained  on  the  first 
floor  a  hall,  32  feet  long  by  18  feet  wide,  with  a  wheel-stair  in  the  angle. 
On  the  second  floor  another  wheel-stair  is  corbelled  out  near  the  centre  of 


FIG.  368.— Stonebyres.    View. 

the  end  wall  (see  Fig.  367),  leading  up  to  the  third  floor.  Angle  turrets, 
two  stories  in  height,  crown  the  four  corners  of  the  building,  and  the  top 
story  has  had  numerous  dormers  and  crow-stepped  gables. 

The  whole  edifice,  as  shown  in  the  Sketch,  has  been  an  imposing 
and  characteristic  example  of  a  Scottish  mansion  of  the  Fourth  Period. 
It  belonged  to  the  family  of  the  Veres  of  Stonebyres  from  the  fifteenth 
till  the  middle  of  the  present  century. 


CASTLE  GARY,  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

This  edifice  is  situated  within  one  mile  southwards  from  the  railway 
station  of  the  same  name,  and  is  quite  near  the  Roman  wall.  It  enjoys 
a  beautiful  secluded  situation  on  the  crest  of  the  steep  southern  bank  of  a 
glen,  through  which  flows  the  Red  Burn.  The  castle  is  well  hidden  from 
distant  view  by  the  ancient  trees  with  which  it  is  surrounded.  It  consists 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


—  440  — 


CASTLE  GARY 


(Fig.  369)  of  buildings  of  two  periods,  which  form  one  house,  with  offices 
and  outbuildings  adjoining. 

The  ancient  portion,  tinted  black,  is  an  oblong  keep,  measuring  about 
34  feet  by  22  feet  9  inches,  and  42  feet  to  the  top  of  the  battlements. 

The  entrance  door,  which  is  now  built  up,  was  in  the  north-west  corner, 
where  also  the  staircase  is  situated,  having  a  square  projection  to  contain 
it  fitted  into  the  interior.  This  stair  leads  to  the  three  upper  floors,  the 
attics,  and  battlements,  where  it  is  finished  with  a  capehouse  having  a 
high  pitched  roof,  as  seen  in  the  View  (Fig.  370).  The  ground  floor  is 


FIG.  369.— Castle  Cary.    Plan. 

vaulted,  and  was  lighted  by  a  slit  4  inches  wide  towards  the  courtyard. 
The  window  shown  on  the  opposite  side  is  not  original. 

.Remains  of  an  enclosing  courtyard  wall,  3  feet  9  inches  thick, 
extend  northwards  44  feet  6  inches  down  the  slope.  This  wall  is  seen 
in  the  View,  projecting  beyond  the  house.  It  has  been  constructed 
partly  as  a  retaining  wall,  so  as  to  secure  a  level  courtyard.  The  garden 
is  enclosed  with  an  old  wall,  as  seen  in  the  View,  but  it  is  certainly  not 
so  old  as  the  keep. 

On  the  face  of  the  keep  towards  the  courtyard  tusks  or  bond  stones 
project  where  shown  by  the  dotted  lines  on  Plan,  indicating  either 


CASTLE  GARY 


—  441  — 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


the   existence   of    former   buildings   or   contemplated    buildings   at   this 
part. 

The  additions  made  to  the  keep  consist  of  a  building  to  the  eastward, 
shown  by  hatched  lines,  extending  to  30  feet  6  inches  in  length  by  about 
19  feet  9  inches  wide,  with  a  tower  about  10  feet  6  inches  square  projected 
into  the  courtyard  at  the  junction  of  the  old  and  new  works,  and  containing 


Pio.  370.- Castle  Cary.    View  from  South- West. 

a  new  entrance  and  staircase  serving  for  the  whole  edifice.  This  addition 
comprised,  on  the  ground  floor,  a  kitchen  with  offices,  and  a  room  above. 
There  seems  also  to  have  been  an  attic  with  dormer  windows  rising  into 
the  roof ;  the  lower  part  of  these  windows,  now  built  up,  is  seen  in  the 
View.  There  is  nothing  of  special  interest  inside  the  house,  which  is  still 
inhabited,  and  makes  a  very  comfortable  residence.  Over  the  doorway  of 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


442    CROSSBASKET  AND  CALDERWOOD 


the  addition  is  the  date  1679,  and  inside  there  is  an  iron  yett,  which  may 
have  belonged  to  the  original  keep,  the  outer  doorways  being  only  2  inches 
different  in  width. 


CROSSBASKET  AND  CALDERWOOD   CASTLES,  LANARKSHIRE. 

Of  the  two  keeps  shown  by  Figs.  371  and  372  only  the  first  is  now  in 
existence,  the  other  having  fallen  in  January  1773,  eight  years  after  the 
Sketch  now  shown  was  made.  This  Sketch  is  copied  from  a  drawing 
signed  "W.  Binton,  1765,"  in  the  possession  of  the  Royal  Scottish 
Academy,  and  seems  to  be  the  only  view  of  Calderwood  now  existing. 
Crossbasket  and  Calderwood  adjoin  each  other  at  a  distance  of  two  or 
three  miles  from  Blantyre  Railway  Station.  They  are  situated  on  the 
wild  precipitous  banks  of  the  Calder,  a  stream  which  pursues  its  course  in 
a  deep  and  narrow  rocky  gorge  clothed  with  thick  woods. 


FIG.  371.— Calderwood  Castle. 

Crossbasket  is  a  simple  keep,  measuring  about  38  feet  long  by  22  feet 
broad.  There  is  a  large  modern  mansion,  attached  to  its  east  end,  as 
shown  by  Sketch.  The  interior  of  the  keep  has  been  greatly  altered  to 
suit  modern  circumstances.  The  exterior,  however,  is  mostly  old  work, 
but  the  embrasures  on  the  staircase  turret  are  modern,  as  is  also  the 
enlarging  of  the  windows  (except  the  dormers,  which  are  old). 

The  tower  is  three  stories  high,  with  attics,  and  has  a  walk  round  the 
battlements.  Crossbasket  was  a  jointure  house  of  the  Lindsays  of  Mains, 
whose  Castle  of  Mains  is  described  in  this  volume,  and  there  has  been 
some  resemblance  between  the  two  structures. 

Calderwood  was  a  much  more  massive  keep  than  either  of  its  neighbours 
just  mentioned,  having  been  69  feet  long  by  40  feet  wide,  and  87  feet  6 


KILMAHEW    CASTLE 


—    443    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


inches  high.*  Some  later  buildings  had  been  attached  to  it,  which  are  still 
standing.  These  are  of  no  interest,  and  still  form  part  of  a  large  modern 
house,  which  was  built  after  the  fall  of  the  old  castle. 


FIG.  372.— Crossbasket  Castlo.    View  from  South-East. 

The  Maxwells  of  Calderwood  are  descended  from  the  Pollock  branch  of 
the  family.  Sir  Robert  Maxwell  of  Calderwood,  the  ancestor  of  this 
branch,  died  in  1363.  There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  account  of 
the  building  of  the  castle,  but  it  may  have  belonged  to  an  early 
period. 


KILMAHEW  CASTLE,  DUMBARTONSHIRE. 

This  old  castle,  the  ancient  seat  of  the  Napiers,  stands  near  the  top  of 
a  picturesque  little  ravine,  about  one  mile  north  from  the  Frith  of  Clyde 
at  Cardross.     The  estate  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  Napier  family 
*  History  of  Butforglen  and  East  Kilbride,  by  D.  Ure,  p.  154. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    444    — 


KILMAHEW    CASTLE 


from  the  thirteenth  to  the  nineteenth  century,  when  it  was  broken  up  and 
sold  in  lots,  but  has  again  to  a  great  extent  been  gradually  acquired  and 
reunited  by  the  present  proprietor,  John  William  Burns,  Esq.,  and  his 
father.  During  the  interval  the  owner  of  the  castle  for  the  time  carried 

O 

out  considerable  alterations  upon  it,  and  rebuilt  the  south  and  west  walls 
with  the  view  of  rendering  it  a  modern  mansion  in  the  Gothic  style,  with 
a  large  entrance  staircase  and  doorway  at  the  south-west  angle  (Fig.  373). 
This  work,  however,  was  never  completed. 

The  fireplace  in  the  east  wall  and  various  wall  recesses  also  seem  to 
owe  their  origin  to  the  operations  of  this  period.  The  general  outline  of 
the  structure  is  undoubtedly  that  of  the  original  castle,  being  a  parallel- 
ogram 46  feet  long  by  25  feet  broad.  The  entrance  door  (Fig.  374)  was 


A.  PROBABLE 
STAIRCASE 


FIG.  373.— Kilmahew  Castle.    Plan. 

near  the  north-west  angle,  and  on  the  ground  floor.  The  broad  lintel 
which  covers  it  bore  at  one  time  the  motto^"  The  peace  of  God  be 
herein."  At  the  parapet,  exactly  above  the  doorway,  may  be  noticed 
two  large  and  boldly -projecting  corbels,  which  no  doubt  carried  a 
battlement  or  breteche  for  the  protection  of  the  entrance.  Some  of 
the  smaller  corbels  of  the  parapet  are  also  preserved.  In  the  angle 
adjoining  the  doorway  the  staircase  in  all  probability  was  carried  up, 
while  a  passage  along  the  west  wall  would  give  access  to  the  cellars 
and  kitchen  on  the  ground  floor.  The  latter  was  evidently  at  the  north 
end,  from  its  great  fireplace  being  still  preserved. 

The  fine  modern  mansion  of  Kilmahew,  built  by  the  late  Mr.  Burns, 
occupies  a  beautiful  site  at  a  short  distance  from  the  old  castle.     From  its 


BANNACHRA    CASTLK 


—    445    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FIG.  374.— Kilmahew  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

well-kept  and  picturesque  grounds  a  splendid  view  is  obtained  over  the 
Frith  of  Clyde  and  the  Renfrewshire  hills  beyond. 


BANNACHRA  CASTLE,  DUMBARTONSHIRE. 

A  very  ruinous  structure,  which  occupies  a  fine  site  on  a  rising  ground, 
about  five  miles  north  from  Helensburgh,  and  commands  an  extensive 
prospect  over  Loch  Lomond  and  the  mountains  which  surround  it.  The 
castle  occupies  a  point  partly  defended  by  the  ravines  of  Glen  Fruin  and  a 
small  tributary.  It  is  a  plain  rectangular  plan  (Fig.  375),  46  feet  long  by  23 
feet  wide,  with  walls  3  feet  9  inches  thick.  The  eastern  end  is  greatly 
demolished,  but  the  outline  of  the  kitchen  fireplace  at  that  end  can  be 
distinguished. 

The  entrance  doorway  and  staircase  were  doubtless  in  the  south-east 
angle,  but  they  are  now  entirely  obliterated.  The  partitions  which 
divided  the  ground  floor  have  also  disappeared,  but  were  most  likely 
arranged  somewhat  as  shown  on  the  Plan — the  kitchen  being  at  the  east 
end,  a  cellar  in  the  centre,  and  probably  a  bakehouse  at  the'  west  end, 
where  there  are  two  circular  recesses  in  the  wall,  as  if  for  ovens.  The 


FOURTH    PKUIOD 


—  446  — 


BANNACHRA    CASTLE 


first  floor  would  contain  the  hall,  and  perhaps  also  a  private  room  off  it  at 
the  west  end.     The  windows  were  of  good  size,  and  have  shot-holes  under 


FIG.  375.— Bannachra  Castle.    Plan. 


them  (Fig.  376).     Most  of  the  freestone  corners  and  dressings  have  been 
removed,  and  the  building  is  otherwise  so  destroyed  that  its  arrangements 


V 

Fio.  376.— Bannachra  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 


CASTLE    SHUNA  —    447    FOURTH    PERIOD 

cannot  be  further  ascertained.     It  seems  to  have  had  one  story  over  the 
hall,  finished  on  the  gables  with  crow-steps. 

In  early  times  the  lands  belonged  to  the  Galbraitbs,  but  in  1512  they 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  Colquhouns,  by  whom  the  castle  was 
erected.  In  1592  it  was  the  scene  of  a  tragic  event,  only  too  characteristic 
of  the  times  and  the  locality.  The  Colquhouns,  being  at  feud  with  the 
Macgregors,  were  suddenly  attacked  by  the  latter,  and  Sir  Humphrey,  the 
head  of  the  clan,  took  refuge  in  Bannachra.  The  Macgregors  watched  the 
castle,  and  succeeded  in  shooting  Sir  Humphrey  with  an  arrow  as  he  was 
going  upstairs  to  bed,  having  been  aided,  it  was  alleged,  by  a  servant,  who 
carried  the  light  so  as  to  make  Sir  Humphrey  distinctly  visible  to  those 
without.  The  castle  then  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Macgregors,  and  was 
destroyed  by  them  ;  and  whether  it  was  ever  repaired  is  doubtful.  Such 
features  as  it  has  are  those  of  a  building  of  the  Fourth  Period. 

DARLEITH  CASTLE,  DUMBARTONSHIBE. 

An  old  keep  now  incorporated  in  a  modern  mansion,  about  three  miles 
north  from  Cardross.  Some  of  the  coats  of  arms  and  a  dormer  window  are 
preserved,  but  otherwise  the  old  structure  has  been  modernised. 

The  property  belonged,  after  1510,  to  the  family  of  John  Darleith  of 
Darleith. 

ROSSDHU  CASTLE,  DUMBARTONSHIRE. 

This  ancient  seat  of  the  Colquhouns  of  Luss,  now  reduced  to  a  single 
wall,  was  a  square  and  simple  keep  of  the  Fourth  Period.  It  was  occu- 
pied by  the  family  till  1770,  when  it  was  partially  demolished  to  supply 
materials  for  a  modern  mansion.* 

KILLUNDINE  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  quadrilateral  building,  with  one  gable  standing  on  the  top  of  a  rocky 
headland  on  the  opposite  coast  of  the  Sound  of  Mull  from  Aros  Castle. 
It  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  hunting  lodge  connected  with  Aros,  and  is 
still  called  the  "Dog  Castle."  It  is  evidently  a  late  structure,  without 
much  architectural  interest. 

CASTLE  SHUNA. f 

A  very  ruinous  quadrilateral  pile,  38  feet  in  length  by  24  feet  wide, 

which  stands  near  the  south  end  of  the  island  of  Shuna,  in  Loch  Linnhe, 

/ 

*  For  illustration  see  Eraser's  Chiefs  of  Colquhoun. 
f  Particulars  kindly  supplied  by  Dr.  Christison. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    448    — 


MONIMAIL    CASTLE 


opposite  Portnacroish.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  contained  a 
kitchen  and  cellar.  The  former  had  a  large  fireplace,  the  outer  wall  of 
which  has  now  been  broken  through,  and  forms  an  access  to  the  interior. 
The  cellar  is  connected  with  the  first  floor  by  a  wheel-stair  in  the  south- 
west angle  of  the  walls,  which  has  also  been  carried  up  to  the  upper 
floors.  The  hall  occupied  the  first  floor,  but  a  portion  of  the  south  and 
east  walls  is  all  that  remains  of  it.  Three  recesses,  of  two  windows  and 
one  fireplace,  with  elliptical  arches,  occur  in  the  walls,  and  the  corbels 
which  carried  the  floor  above  are  also  partly  preserved. 

A  circular  staircase  tower  has  been  added  at  a  later  date  than  that  of 
the  original  construction  on  the  east  side  of  the  building. 


A  picturesque  tower  (Fig.  377),  said  to  be  the  only  surviving  portion 
of  a  large  cas'tle,  standing  in  the  grounds  of  Melville  Castle,  about  a  mile 
east  from  Collessie  Station. 

The  Archbishops  of  St  Andrews  had  a  residence  here  from  the  four- 


Fio.  377.— Monimail  Castle.     View  from  West. 


SEAFIELD    TOWER 


—  449  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


teenth  century,  and  the  existing  tower  is  supposed  to  be  part  of  a  large 
extension  of  the  castle  erected  by  Cardinal  Beaton.  It  is  a  work  of 
unusual  refinement,  the  mouldings  being  varied  from  the  common  pattern, 
and  the  bartizans  being  of  an  octagonal  instead  of  the  ordinary  round 
form.  Ornamental  panels,  containing  shields  with  coats  of  arms  and 
well-executed  heads,  are  let  into  the  parapet.  The  spiral  termination  of 
the  turret,  which  contains  the  stair  and  door  to  the  flat  roof,  with  its 
lucarnes,  is  also  an  unusual  feature,  rather  indicative  of  ecclesiastical  than 
baronial  work.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  so  little  of  this  tine  work 
has  been  preserved.  This  tower  is  now  reduced  to  the  unworthy  position 
of  a  "  bothy  "  occupied  by  the  gardeners  of  Melville  Castle. 


SEAFIELD  TOWER,  FIPESHIRE. 

Built  on  a  rock  close  to  the  sea,  about  a  mile  north-east  from  Kinghorn, 
this  ruin  consists  of  a  square  tower  (Fig.  378)  about  32  feet  by  26  feet, 
with  walls  about  5  feet  6  inches  thick._^The  ground  floor  (Fig.  379)  has 


FIG.  378.— Seafleld  Tower.    View  from  North- West. 

been  vaulted,  and  there  has  been  a  wheel-stair  at  the  south-east  corner 
The  building  seems  to  have  been  altered  at  a  recent  date,  probably  by 
smugglers.  It  has  been  surrounded  by  a  wall,  at  least  on  the'  landward 
side,  parts  of  which  remain,  and  also  possibly  by  a  fosse. 

2F 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    450 


PITTEADIE    CASTLE 


Seafield   was  the  home  of   the  Moultrays,  or  Moutrays.      The  last 
Moultray  of   Seafield  was  killed  during  the  rebellion  of   1715.      Subse- 


SE/f 


PIG.  379.— Seafield  Tower.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

quently  the  tower  belonged  to  the  Earls  of  Melville,  and  is  now  part  of 
the  Raith  estate. 

PITTEADIE  CASTLE,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  tower,  situated  about  two  miles  north-west  from  Kinghorn.  It  must 
have  been  a  delightful  residence,  being  surrounded  with  fine  trees,  and 
having  an  extensive  garden  sloping  southwards  to  the  sun ;  but  it  is  now 
a  melancholy  ruin,  utterly  uncared  for.  The  approach  to  the  castle  is 
through  a  quaint  round-arched  gateway  dated  1686  (Fig.  380),  situated 


PITTEADIE    CASTLK 


—    451    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


' 


Fio.  380.— Pitteadifi  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    452    — 


PITTEADIE   CASTLE 


opposite  the  north-east  end  of  the  castle,  which  is  a  square  keep  (Fig. 
381),  measuring  about  35  feet  from  east  to  west  by  28  feet  from  north  to 
south.  At  the  south-east  corner  there  is  a  lofty  square  staircase  tower, 
finished  with  crow-stepped  gables. 

The  main  structure  is  of  an  earlier  date  than  the  gateway ;   but  it 
seems — probably  when  the  gateway  was  erected — to  have  undergone  COll- 


SE  CT/OW  OF  GO R BEL 
COURSEoF  TOWER 


HRST  FLOOR  PLHN 


GROUND  PLHN 


FIG.  381.— Pitteadie  Castle.    Plans. 

siderable  alteration  by  the  enlargement  of  the  windows  and  a  change  in 
the  position  of  the  entrance  doorway.  The  original  entrance  was  in  the 
south  front,  by  a  round-arched  doorway  on  the  first  floor  level,  10  or 
12  feet  above  the  ground.  Its  position  is  indicated  on  Fig.  382,  which 
shows  one  half  of  the  doorway,  cut  away  to  allow  of  the  enlargement  of 
the  window  adjoining,  and  the  other  half  built  up.  At  the  sill  of  the 
door  are  visible  two  corbels,  evidently  meant  for  the  support  of  some  kind 


PITTEADIE    CASTLE 


—    453    — 


FOURTH     PERIOD 


of  movable  wooden  gangway  for  access.     There  is  a  doorway  in  the  east 
face  of  the  tower,  which  in  the  later  occupation  of  the  building  has  been 


Pio.  382.  — Pitteadie  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

lowered  to  the  ground  level.     A  peculiarity  about  this  entrance  (which 
leads  straight  into  the  vaulted  ground  floor)  is  that  the  lowest  step  of  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    454    — 


PITTEADIE    CASTLE 


stair  in  the  tower  is  about  5  feet  above  the  level  of  the  entrance  passage. 
This  staircase,  however,  led  originally  down  to  the  ground  floor,  in  which 
there  was  no  exterior  doorway,  and  the  lower  steps  of  the  stair  have  been 
removed  to  make  room  for  the  new  entrance  door  and  passage. 

The  ground  floor  is  lighted  with  one  window,  but  probably  there  was 
another  next  the  entrance,  which  is  now  closed  by  the  farm  buildings 
erected  on  that  side.  The  first  floor  contains  a  hall  lighted  by  three 
windows,  having  a  fireplace  of  a  striking  design  (Fig.  383)  at  the  east  end. 
It  consists  of  moulded  jambs,  each  capped  by  a  block,  on  the  top  of 
which  a  stone  corbel  on  either  side  projects  to  support  the  lintel.  The 
latter  is  broken,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  fallen  debris  fills  up  the  fire- 
place and  the  whole  floor.  The  Sketch  (which  is  taken  looking  into  the 


FIG.  383. — Pitteadie  Castle.    Jamb  of  Fireplace  in  Hall. 

ingoing  of  the  fireplace)  shows  a  stone  seat  in  a  recess.  There  is  a  garde- 
robe  at  the  north-west  corner  of  the  hall. 

The  main  staircase  stops  at  the  second  floor  level,  from  whence,  in  the 
usual  manner,  a  turret  stair  (seen  in  Fig.  380)  leads  to  the  top.  The  upper 
floors,  of  which  there  were  at  least  two  above  the  hall,  besides  one  or  two 
stories  in  the  tower,  are  now  inaccessible.  There  is  a  shoot  for  a  garde-robe 
on  the  north  side  (Fig.  384)  at  the  second  floor  level.  On  the  south-west 
and  north-east  corners  are  the  remains  of  circular  angle  turrets,  the  north- 
west corner  being  without  one.  The  corbel  course  towards  the  top  of  the 
large  tower  is  of  an  unusual  section  (see  Fig.  381),  judging  from  which 
it  is  evident  that  that  part  of  the  castle  is  late  in  the  Fourth  Period, 
although  probably  the  walls  are  of  older  date. 

There  is  a  well  in  the  courtyard  immediately  inside   the  gateway  ^ 


PITTEADIE    CASTLE 


—   455    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Over  the  gateway  are  the  initials  and  arms  (Fig.  385)  of  William 
Calderwood  of  Pitteadie,  with  the  date  1686.  Above  the  arms  is  the 
family  crest — a  palm  branch  in  the  dexter  hand — surmounted  by  the 
motto,  of  which  only  the  last  five  or  six  letters  are  visible,  "  Veritas 


FIG.  884.-  -Pitteadie  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

premitur  non  opprimitur."  William  Calderwood  was  "  apothecarii 
burgensis  de  Edinburgh"  in  1668;  but  we  have  not  learnt  in  what 
manner  he  acquired  this  estate. 


FIG.  385.— Pitteadie  Castle.    Arms  over  Archway  (see  Fig.  380). 

In  1564  the  property  belonged  to  William  Kirkcaldy  of  Grange ;  and 
in  1637  it  was  succeeded  to  by  "  David  Boiswell "  of  Glasmont. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   456   — 


BANDON    TOWER 


GARDEN  TOWER,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  ruin  situated  in  the  parish  of  Auchterderran,  about  two  and  a 
quarter  miles  east  of  the  village  of  Lochgelly,  on  a  rock  overhanging  a 
deep  ravine,  in  which  flows  the  Garden  Burn,  the  outlet  of  Lochgelly  and 
a  tributary  of  the  Ore. 

The  building  consists  of  the  fragmentary  remains  of  the  corner  of  a 
square  tower,  with  part  of  the  corbelling  of  a  round  turret. 

Garden  belonged  of  old  to  a  family  named  Martin.  It  now  forms  part 
of  the  Raith  estate. 


BANDON  TOWER,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  tower  situated  in  the  parish  of  Markinch,  Fife.  It  stands  on  the 
eastern  slope"  of  East  Lomond  Hill,  about  midway  between  Markinch  and 
Falkland,  and  consists  of  a  rectangular  tower  (Fig.  386)  about  31  feet  by 
22  feet,  with  the  remains  of  a  small  circular  tower  at  the  north-west 
corner,  which  has  a  more  modern  look  than  the  main  building.  The 


FIG.  386.— Bandon  Tower.    View  from  North-West. 

whole  structure  is  very  much  broken  down.  The  ground  floor  (Fig.  387) 
has  probably  been  vaulted.  The  remains  of  a  large  fireplace  exist  in 
the  south-east  end,  with  a  wheel-stair  adjoining.  The  walls  are  3  feet 
9  inches  thick. 

The  building  does  not  look  older  than  about  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
century. 


MEGGERNIE   CASTLE 


—  457  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Fio.  387.—  Bandon  Tower.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


Formerly,  Bandon  belonged  to  a  family  of  the  name  of  Bethune ;  now, 
to  Balfour  of  Balbirnie. 


MEGGERNIE  CASTLE,*  PERTHSHIRE. 

An  ancient  keep,  with  a  modern  mansion  added  to  it,  about  twenty-two 
miles  west  from  Aberfeldy,  and  near  the  head  of  the  long  narrow  glen  of  the 


We  have  to  thank  Mr.  W.  F.  Lyon,  architect,  for  a  Sketch  of  this  castle. 


FOURTH  PERIOD  -  458  EASTER  CLUNE 

Lyon.  It  is  approached  by  a  fine  avenue  of  lime  trees,  and  is  surrounded 
with  extensive  woods.  The  ancient  portion  of  the  house  consists  of  a 
square  tower  (Fig.  388),  five  stories  in  height,  with  square  turrets  at  the 
angles  and  ornamental  dormers. 

Glen  Lyon  was  for  long  the  property  of  the  Campbells,  by  whom  this 
keep  was  probably  erected  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 


DRUMLOCHY  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

This  castle  stood  opposite  Glasclune,  on  the  east  side  of  the  ravine 
which  separates  the  parishes  of  Blairgowrie  and  Kinloch. 

The  Blairs  of  Glasclune  and  the  Herons  of  Drumlochy  were  at  constant 
feud,  "  which  the  proximity  of  their  strongholds,"  says  the  author  of  the 
Statistical  Account,  "  afforded  them  abundant  opportunities  of  gratifying, 
by  a  constant  and  harassing  system  of  petty  warfare,  attended  with  con- 
siderable bloodshed  on  both  sides,  till  at  length  the  struggle  was  ended  in 
the  total  discomfiture  of  the  unfortunate  Laird  of  Drumlochy  and  the 
demolition  of  his  fortress."  A  few  fragments,  now  converted  into  a  cow- 
house, are  all  that  remain. 


GARTH  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  simple  keep,  surmounting  a  lofty  and  rocky  point  above  the  Glen 
of  the  Keltney  Burn,  about  six  miles  west  from  Aberfeldy.  It  is  said  to 
have  belonged  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  to  the  "  Wolf  of 
Badenoch,"  and  that  that  unruly  chief  was  for  a  time  imprisoned  in  it  by 
the  orders  of  his  father,  King  Robert  n. 

From  the  "Wolf,"  who  was  also  Earl  of  Buchan,  were  descended  the 
Stewarts  of  Athole,  who  were  long  proprietors  of  Garth  and  the  occupants 
of  the  castle.  A  few  years  ago  the  keep  had  fallen  into  complete  ruin, 
but  it  has  recently  been  almost  entirely  rebuilt  and  restored.  It  is  now 
the  property  of  Sir  Donald  Currie,  M.P. 


EASTER  CLUNE,  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

A  small  ruin,  not  one  story  high,  of  a  tower,  said  to  have  been  built 
by  Archbishop  Ross.  It  stands  on  the  Feugh  Burn,  about  seven  miles 
south-west  from  Aboyne. 


INVERMARK    CASTLF. 


—    459    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


COLQUHOiNNY  CASTLE,  ABERDEENSHIRK, 

Stands  on  the  Don,  near  Strathdon,  and  consists  of  one  vaulted  story 
of  a  tower,  said  to  have  been  built  by  Forbes  of  Towie  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  but  never  finished. 


INVERMARK   CASTLE,*  FORFARSHIRE. 

This  is  one  of  those  rudely-built  simple  keeps  whose  age  it  is  difficult 
to  tell  from  their  design.  It  stands  at  the  east  end  of  Loch  Lee,  on  a 
romantic  site  amongst  the  mountains  near  the  head  of  Glen  Esk,  some 




Fio.  389. — Invermark  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 
We  have  to  thank  Mr.  George  Gordon  Milne  for  the  Plans  of  this  castle. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    460    — 


INVERMARK    CASTLE 


twenty  miles  north-west  from  Brechin.  A  castle  is  supposed  to  have 
occupied  the  site  (which  is  an  important  one,  and  commands  the  passes 
into  several  glens)  as  early  as  the  fourteenth  century,  when  Sir  John  de 
Stryocline,  or  Stirling,  took  his  title  from  it,  and  it  is  sometimes  stated  that 
this  is  his  actual  castle.  The  district  afterwards  passed  into  the  possession 
of  the  Lindsays,  and  is  now  the  property  of  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie. 


PIG.  390. — Invermark  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

The  castle  (Fig.  389)  stands  upon  the  top  of  a  bank,  well  defended  by 
the  river,  and  has  the  massive  walls  and  rounded  angles  which  often  mark 
the  earlier  keeps.  It  is  a  plain  oblong  tower  (Fig.  390),  measuring 
38  feet  6  inches  by  30  feet,  with  walls  varying  from  5  feet  6  inches  to 
7  feet  in  thickness.  The  only  entrance  to  the  castle  is  on  the  first  floor, 
at  a  height  of  about  9  feet  above  the  ground.  This  door  is  secured  with 
a  strong  iron  yett,  which  is  still  in  position.  Behind  the  yett  was  a 
wooden  door  with  a  sliding  bar. 

It  is  said*  that  the  approach  to  the  door  was  by  a  strong  stone  stair 
*  Angus  or  Forfarshire,  by  A.  J.  Warden. 


INVERMARK    CASTLE 


—    461    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


— but  at  a  distance  of  12  feet  from  the  castle — and  that  a  drawbridge 
was  swung  between  the  castle  and  the  stair.  There  is  no  appearance  of 
this  stair  now,  and  the  castle  is  so  completely  overgrown  with  ivy  that 
the  connection  for  the  bridge,  if  such  exists,  cannot  be  examined. 

Immediately  adjoining  the  door  a  wheel-stair  leads  down  to  the  base- 
ment floor,  which  is  one  large  vaulted  apartment,  with  numerous  widely- 
splayed  shot-holes.  The  stair  leading  upwards  to  the  top  of  the  castle  no 
longer  exists.  It  was  in  the  rounded  recess  shown  on  the  first  floor,  and 


FIG.  391. — Invennark  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

partly  projected  into  the  hall  and  the  rooms  above.  The  great  hall 
measures  about  29  feet  by  20  feet  6  inches,  and  had  two  fireplaces,  with 
two  garde-robes  in  the  north  wall.  This  floor  may  have  been  divided 
into  two  apartments — the  hall  and  the  private  room — by  a  partition. 
This  would  explain  the  two  fireplaces  and  the  two  garde-robes.  The 
rooms  are  well  lighted  with  three  windows,  which  have  stone  seats. 
There  were  two  floors  and  attics  above  the  hall  level  (see  Fig.  389). 
In  the  lofty  chimneys  of  the  north  and  south  fronts  are  seen  some  of 
the  windows  of  the  attic  floor  (Figs.  389  and  391).  A  large  turret, 
provided  with  shot-holes  and  a  narrow  slit,  is  corbelled  out  on  the 
south-east  angle  of  the  tower.  Some  of  these  features  show  that  the  upper 
part  at  least  is  not  very  ancient.  A  fortalice  of  the  Second  Period  would 
have  been  terminated  at  the  top  by  a  bold  parapet,  well  corbelled  out,  and 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    462    — 


FAIRBURN    TOWER 


the  gables  and  chimneys  would  be  raised  inside  it  on  the  inner  edge  of 
the  walls.  But  instead  of  these  features  we  find  the  gables  and  chimneys 
carried  straight  up  from  the  face  of  the  walls,  and  the  eaves  of  the  roof 
projected  to  the  outer  face  of  the  side  walls,  without  any  parapet  at  all. 
The  mode  in  which  the  rounded  corners  are  brought  to  the  square  near 
the  top  also  points  to  a  late  date ;  and  we  have  seen,  at  Coxton  and  else- 
where, that  the  door  was  frequently  placed  on  the  first  floor,  even  in  the 
seventeenth  century.  There  can  be  no  hesitation,  therefore,  in  assigning 
this  keep  to  the  Fourth  Period. 

FAIRBURN  TOWER,*  ROSS-SHIKE. 

A  lofty  tower  standing  on  the  summit  of  a  flat-topped  hill,  above  the 
River  Orrin,  about  four  miles  south  from  Strathpeffer,  and  the  same 
distance  west  from  Muir  of  Ord  Station. 


FIG.  392.— Fairburn  Tower.    Sections. 


*  The  measured  drawings  of  this  castle  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  William  C. 
Joass,  Esq.,  architect,  Dingwall. 


FAIRBURN    TOWER 


—  463  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


This  tower  was  one  of  the  strongholds  of  the  Mackenzies.  It  is  a 
simple  oblong  keep  on  Plan  (Fig.  393),  but  is  carried  to  a  great  height, 
and  being  conspicuous,  owing  to  its  lofty  site,  from  all  sides,  probably 
served  as  a  watch  and  signal  station.  The  original  entrance  door  was  on 
the  first  floor,  and  was  defended  by  a  sliding  bar.  The  hall,  which 


FIRST   FLOOR 
Fio.  393.  -Fair-burn  Tower.    Plans,  &c. 


GROUND    FLOOR 


occupied  this  floor,  is  16  feet  square,  and  has  several  wall-chambers  in  the 
walls,  which  are  5  feet  6  inches  thick.  One  of  these  conducts  to  the 
straight  stair  down  to  the  basement.  This  was  the  only  means  of 
entrance  to  the  ground  floor,  which  had  no  door  to  the  exterior.  This 
floor  is  vaulted  (Fig.  392),  and  contains  three  shot- holes  in  each  side, 
all  deeply  splayed,  both  internally  and  externally.  The  rounded  recess 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    464    — 


FAIRBURN    TOWER 


adjoining  the  entrance  door  on  the  first  floor  evidently  contained  the 
original  staircase  to  the  upper  floors,  on  each  of  which  there  was  one 
room  of  the  same  size  as  the  hall,  and  with  similar  arrangements.  The 
top  floor  has  an  angle  turret  on  the  north-east  and  south-west  angles  only 
(see  Fig.  393).  This  tower  is  very  similar  in  character  to  those  of  Hallbar 


FIG.  S94.— Fail-burn  Tower.    View  from  South-East. 

and  Coxton  (see  Vol.  n.  pp.  23  and  26),  and  probably  dates,  like  them, 
from  about  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century.  At  a  later  time  a 
square  projecting  tower  has  been  added  on  the  south  side  (Fig.  394),  con- 
taining a  staircase,  which  gave  access  from  the  ground  to  the  hall  and  the 
upper  floors.  Good  stone  being  scarce  in  this  locality,  one  of  the  windows 


CASTLE   CRAIO 


—   465    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Fia.  395. — Fairburn  Tower.    View  from  West. 


is  lintelled  with  oak ;  but  the  builders  took  care  to  give  it  a  good  water 
table  to  defend  the  timber  from  the  weather  (Fig.  395). 


CASTLE  CRAIG,  ROSS-SHIRE. 

A  fragment  (Fig.  396)  of  a  Fourth  Period  mansion,  situated  on  the 
crest  of  a  perpendicular  rock,  which  rises  above  the  east  side  of  Cromarty 
Frith.  It  is  said  to  have  been  erected  by  the  Urquharts,  barons  of 
Cromarty,  and  was  at  one  time  occupied  by  the  bishops  of  Ross.  The 
interior  is  demolished  or  inaccessible.  The  structure  has  extended  further 
southwards  than  it  now  does,  but  that  end  is  now  completely  ruined.  The 
top  of  the  cliff  on  which  the  castle  stands  has  been  fortified  with  a  wall, 
provided  with  round  towers  and  crenellated  for  defence. 

2o 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    466       - 


CASTLE    CRAIG 


\ 


BEDLAY    HOUSE  -    467    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

The  most  interesting  feature  about  the  building  is  the  parapet  with  its 
corbelling.  This  extends  across  the  north  end  only,  and  is  not  returned 
along  the  sides.  It  is  of  the  usual  character  of  the  work  of  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century  —  the  cable  moulding  and  the  revived  dog- 
tooth associated  with  the  corbelling  are  sure  indications  of  that  date. 
They  give  great  richness  of  effect  to  this  part  of  the  edifice,  and  show  that 
the  Scottish  style,  even  to  its  latest  details,  was  universally  employed  all 
over  the  country.  The  lower  tier  of  corbels  is  managed  in  a  somewhat 
exceptional  but  effective  manner. 


II.     L    PLANS. 


BEDLAY  HOUSE,*  LANARKSHIRE. 

Bedlay  House  is  situated  in  Gadder  parish,  about  seven  miles  north- 
east from  Glasgow.  It  occupies  the  abrupt  termination  of  a  trap  dyke 
which  runs  through  the  county  for  a  considerable  distance.  The  whole 
breadth  of  the  summit  of  the  dyke  is  occupied  by  the  building,  and  pro- 
bably before  the  existing  terraces  at  the  south  and  west  ends  were  made 
the  ground  on  these  sides  sloped  up  to  the  walls  as  steeply  as  it  does  now 
on  the  north  side.  The  lower  part  of  the  south  terrace  wall  is  old,  but  the 
buttress  and  balustrade  are  of  recent  date. 

The  position  of  the  building  is  low  and  secluded,  overlooking  a  pretty 
winding  glen,  through  which  flows  the  Bothlin  Burn  on  its  way  to  join  the 
Water  of  Luggie. 

The  castle  is  of  two  periods  (Fig.  397),  the  eastern  end,  with  the  square 
tower  at  the  north-east  corner,  being  the  oldest  portion  of  the  house.  This 
probably  dates  from  about  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when  the 
property  was  acquired  by  the  Boyds ;  while  the  western  portion  with  the 
two  round  towers,  shown  hatched  on  Plan,  was  probably  erected  about  a 
century  later  by  the  Robertons.  The  staircase  on  the  north  side,  with  the 
intermediate  buildings  between  it  and  the  north-east  tower,  are  also  old,  and 
it  is  possible  that  the  north-east  staircase  is  a  part  of  the  original  structure 
altered  to  suit  existing  circumstances.  The  entrance  (the  only  one  to  the 
house)  is  in  the  south  face  of  the  north-east  tower  by  a  broad  moulded 
doorway  (Fig.  398).  This  tower  contains  the  principal  staircase,  which 
originally  led  to  the  first  and  second  floors,  but  it  is  now  cut  off  at  the  first 
floor,  where  it  gives  access  to  the  vestibule,  which  may  also  be  reached  by 

*  We  are  indebted  to  T.  Craig  Christie,  Esq.  of  Bedlay,  for  assistance  in  preparing 
this  notice  and  the  plans. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    468    — 


BEDLAY    HOUSE 


the  west  stair  leading  to  the  second  floor  and  attics.  The  ground  floor  of 
the  most  ancient  part  of  the  edifice  is  vaulted,  and  contains  a  kitchen  and 
a  large  cellar  (now  a  bedroom),  each  having  ambries.  Beyond  this,  in  the 
later  building,  is  an  apartment  which  seems  to  have  been  intended  for  a 
kitchen ;  and  leading  off"  it  are  the  rooms  of  the  two  western  towers,  which 
have  at  this  level  dome-shaped  ceilings.  Owing  to  the  sudden  falling  away 
of  the  ground  at  this  end,  there  is  an  under  floor  to  these  towers,  reached 
by  trap  stairs,  shown  by  dotted  lines  on  Plan.  Between  this  apartment 
and  the  old  house  there  is  a  narrow  passage,  which  at  one  time  opened  out 


TERR  ACS 


Fia.  397.— Bedlay  House.    Plans. 

on  the  terrace  by  a  door,  shown  built  up,  which  is  sloped  away  to  one  side. 
On  the  first  floor  the  space  between  the  east  and  west  staircase  towers  is 
occupied  as  a  vestibule,  and  the  rooms  are  the  full  width  between  the  main 
outside  walls  of  the  house.  These  rooms,  with  the  exception  of  the  dining- 
room,  are  all  modernised.  So,  indeed,  is  the  whole  interior  of  the  house ; 
but  there  are  still  one  or  two  details  left  which  are  characteristic  of 
Scottish  houses — such  as  the  fireplace  (shown  on  Fig.  399),  where  the 
filleted  square  capital,  resting  on  the  round  pillar,  is  characteristic  of  the 
sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  The  lintel  of  this  fireplace  is  cracked 
and  broken,  and  is  now  covered  with  wood  lining.  Another  feature  still 


BEDLAY    HOUSE 


—    469    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


left  at  Bedlay  is  the  garde-robe  in  the  thickness  of  the  north  wall.  Its 
flue  descends  to  the  ground,  and  is  now  used  for  containing  water  pipes. 
This  garde-robe  is  similar  to  those  found  in  the  south  wall  of  Castle 
Campbell.  In  the  southmost  round  tower,  on  the  second  floor,  there 
remains  another  construction  sometimes  found  in  our  old  houses,  viz.,  a 
hiding-place,  or  it  may  have  been  a  lug.  Its  entrance  exists  opposite  the 
west  window,  and  it  is  shown  by  a  square  hatch  on  Plan.  In  order  to 
lift  this  hatch,  a  seat  in  the  window  has  to  be  removed,  but  it  is  con- 


Fio.  398. — Bedlay  House.    View  from  South-East. 


structed  so  as  to  be  easily  taken  to  pieces.  The  space  beneath  the  floor  is 
the  whole  size  of  the  tower,  about  8  feet  4  inches  in  diameter,  and  about 
3  feet  high.  The  long  hinges,  decorated  with  the  Scottish  thistle,  are  from 
a  door  in  the  north-west  tower  (see  Fig.  398),  an  argument  in  favour  of 
this  tower  being  a  part  of  the  original  structure.  Over  the  east  window  of 
the  hall  are  the  arms  of  Roberton  of  Bedlay,  within  a  moulded  panel,  viz., 
quarterly,  first  and  fourth  gules,  a  close  helmet  argent ;  second  and  third 
argent,  a  cross  crosslet  fitchee  gules  in  chief,  a  crescent  for,  a  brotherly 
difference.  Crest,  an  anchor  proper.  Motto,  "For  Securitie."  These 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    470    — 


BEDLAY    HOUSE 


are  boldly  cut,  and  in  high  relief ;  while  an  empty  panel  above  the  door 
probably  once  contained  the  arms  of  the  Boyds  of  Kilmarnock.  Fig. 
400  shows  the  older  part  of  the  castle  on  the  left,  and  on  the  right  the 
portion  added  to  the  west  by  the  Boberton  family,  with  the  two  round 
towers. 

The  following  notes  are  epitomised  from  a  MS.  History  of  Bedlay 
(written  by  the  late  John  Buchanan,  Esq.,  LL.  D.,  Glasgow),  now  in  the 
possession  of  the  proprietor,  Thomas  Craig  Christie,  Esq.  of  Bedlay  and 
Petershill,  to  whom  we  are  greatly  indebted  for  kindness  and  assistance 
in  various  ways. 

The  manor  of  Bedlay,  or  Ballayn,  as  it  was  anciently  called,  was 
ecclesiastical  property  before  the  time  of  David  I.,  as  in  his  "Inquisition" 


PIG.  399.— Bedlay  House.    Fireplace. 

he  restores  the  lands,  which  had  been  despoiled,  to  the  Church  of  Glasgow  ; 
and  William  the  Lion,  in  1180,  grants  the  same  "to  God,  the  Church,  and 
Bishop  Joceline."  Bedlay  continued  in  the  possession  of  the  Bishops  of 
Glasgow  until  1580,  when  it  was  alienated  by  James  Boyd,  titular  arch- 
bishop,* to  his  kinsman  Robert,  fourth  Lord  Boyd  of  Kilmarnock,  who  is 
believed  to  have  built  the  house.  In  1642,  James,  eighth  Lord  Boyd, 
disposed  of  "  Bedlay  and  Mollins "  to  James  Roberton,  advocate,  of  the 
family  of  Earnock.  He  was  subsequently  raised  to  the  bench  under  the 
title  of  Lord  Bedlay.  In  this  family  it  remained  till  1786,  and  by  them 
the  addition  at  the  west  end  was  probably  built.  After  passing  through 
various  hands,  it  was  purchased  at  the  beginning  of  this  century  by  James 
*  Boyd  was  elected  archbishop  in  1572,  and  turned  out  in  1581. 


MONKLAND    HOUSE 


—   471    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Campbsll  of  Petershill,  and  was  carried  by  the  marriage  of  the  latter's 
granddaughter  to  the  present  proprietor. 


FIG.  400.— Bedlay  House.    View  from  North- West. 

It  may  be  noted  that  when  the  Boyds  sold  Bedlay  they  retained  the 
superiority,  which  was  purchased  by  the  Robertons,  in  1740,  from  William, 
the  fourth  and  last  Earl  of  Kilmarnock,  who  was  beheaded  for  his  part  in 
the  enterprise  of  1745. 


MONKLAND  HOUSE,  LANARKSHIRE 

This  mansion  is  situated  in  the  very  centre  of  the  coal  and  iron 
industry  of  Lanarkshire.  It  stands  in  a  lovely  nook  in  the  valley  of  the 
Calder,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  from  Airdrie. 

The  house  is  built  against  a  high  bank,  so  that  on  the  north  side  it 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  472    — 


MONKLAND    HOUSE 


appears  a  story  less  in  height  than  on  the  south  (Fig.  401).  The  entrance 
doorway,  which  is  in  the  stair  turret  in  the  re-entering  angle,  thus  comes 
to  be  at  the  level  of  the  first  floor.  The  staircase  leads  down  to  the 
ground  floor  (Fig.  402),  the  whole  of  which  is  vaulted  and  strongly 
constructed,  with  walls  varying  from  4  to  5  feet  in  thickness.  In  the 
original  construction  there  appears  to  have  been  no  door  to  the  out- 
side on  the  lower  floor. 


PIG.  401. — Monkland  House.    View  from  South- West. 

It  would  thus  appear  that  although  the  house  was  provided  with  many 
modern  conveniences  of  arrangement,  it  was  still  built,  in  view  of  liability 
to  predatory  attacks,  with  a  strong  basement  floor,  in  connection  with 
which  supposition  it  is  probable  that  the  ground  floor  windows  were 
originally  small,  and  have  been  enlarged.  The  kitchen  is  in  the  north- 
west tower,  and  its  wide  flue,  with  the  deeply-recessed  windows  on  either 
.side,  are  seen  on  the  floor  above.  The  chimney  stack  visible  above  the 


MONKLAND    HOUSE 


—  473  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


GROUND    FLOOR 

FIG.  402.— Monkland  House.    Plans  of  First  Floor  and  Ground  Floor. 


FIG.  403. — Monkland  House.    Fireplace  in  Dining-Room. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    474    — 


JERVISTON    HOUSE 


roof    is    evidently   modern,    being   much   smaller    than   was   considered 
necessary  for  a  kitchen  vent  in  the  seventeenth  century. 

On  the  first  floor  there  is  a  modern  passage  and  porch  (as  shown  by 
dotted  lines)  at  the  entrance  door.  In  ancient  times  a  door  opened  from 
the  staircase  into  what  is  now  the  drawing-room,  and  access  to  the  other 
rooms  was  obtained  through  this  one.  The  interior  of  the  house  has  been 
very  much  modernised,  and  the  only  portion  of  any  architectural  interest 
is  the  dining-room  fireplace  (shown  Fig.  403). 


AUCHENVOLE,  DUMBARTONSHIRE. 

A  mansion  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Kelvin,  near  Kilsyth,  now  greatly 
altered  and  added  to.     The  Sketch  (Fig.  404)  shows  what  remains  of  the 


PIG.  404.— Auchenvole.    View  from  North- West. 


old  part ;    and  from  this  it  evidently  belongs  to  the  Fourth  Period,  of 
which  it  is  a  picturesque  specimen. 


JERVISTON  HOUSE,*  LANARKSHIRE. 

An  ancient  seat  of  the  Baillie  family,  situated  on  high  ground  over- 
looking the  valley  of  the  Clyde,  about  ono  mile  south  from  Motherwell. 

*  We  have  to  thank  Lord  Hamilton  of  Dalzell  for  assistance  in  connection  with 
this  building. 


JEIW8TON    HOUSE 


—    475    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  plan  is  of  the  L  form  (Fig.  405),  and  contains  on  the  ground  floor  the 

vaulted  kitchen  and  cellar,  with  the  hall  on  the  first  floor  and  bedrooms 

above.      The   wing   contains   the   entrance   door, 

with  its  large   roll   moulding,   surmounted    by   a 

cornice    (Fig.   406),   with   an   inscription   on   the 

lintel,    now    nearly    obliterated,    but    the   initials 

R.  B.  and  E.  H.  are  still  observable  at  either  end. 

Above  this  is  a  panel  containing  an  inscription 

(see  Fig.  406),  but  it  is  now  too  much  decayed  to 

be  legible. 

The  principal  stair  ascends  to  the  first  floor, 
above  which  the  wing  contains  bedrooms,  entered 
from   a   turret    stair   corbelled    out    in    the    re- 
entering  angle.     This  turret  was  originally  terminated  with  a  conical 
roof  (as  shown  in  Fig.  407),  which  has  now  disappeared.     An  angle  turret 


Fio.  405.— Jerviston  House. 
Plan. 


Fio.  406.— Jerviston  House.    View  from  North-East. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    476    — 


PIG.  407.— Jerviston  House.    Restored  View  from  North-East. 

was  also  formerly  corbelled  out  at  the  north-east  angle  of  the  main  build- 
ing, but  of  this  some  of  the  corbels  only  now  remain.  The  building 
evidently  belongs  to  the  Fourth  Period. 


GARRION  TOWER,*  LANARKSHIRE. 

This  tower  is  situated  in  a  haugh,  at  the  junction  of  the  Garrion  Burn 
with  the  River  Clyde,  opposite  the  village  of  Dalserf,  and  commanded  a 
ford  which  led  to  the  old  road  between  Carlisle  and  Ayr. 

The  old  building  has  been  incorporated  with  a  large  modern  mansion, 

*  Our  attention  was  drawn  to  this  house  by  Mr.  James  D.  Roberton,  of  Glasgow, 
who  kindly  made  the  annexed  Plans,  and  supplied  us  with  the  information  for  the 
description. 


GARRION   TOWER 


—    477    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


of  which  a  part  is  seen  in  the  conical  roofed  tower  and  gable  on  the  right 
hand  of  View  (Fig.  408). 

The  Plans,  however,  show  that  Garrion  is  a  genuine  old  Scotch  house, 
probably  of  the  seventeenth  century.     It  is  on  the  L  Plan,  measuring 


GROUND    FLOOR  FIRST      FLOOR 

Fio.  408 — Garrion  Tower.    Plans  and  View  from  North. 

about  25  feet  from  east  to  west,  by  19  feet  6  inches  from  north  to  south, 
and  26  feet  over  the  wing.  The  doorway  is  in  the  re-entering  angle, 
leading  directly  to  the  stair  in  the  wing.  The  stair  leads  to  the  top,  and 
is  square  inside  up  to  the  first  floor,  above  which  it  becomes  circular.  The 
ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  contains  two  cellars.  The  smaller  cellar  is 


FOURTH    PERIOD  -    478    -  HAGGS    CASTLE 

6  feet  9  inches  high,  with  a  stone  sill  at  the  door  6  inches  high,  and  was 
originally  lighted  by  one  small  window,  that  on  the  east  side  being 
modern.  The  floor  of  this  cellar  is  of  stone,  while  that  of  the  one 
adjoining  is  of  earth,  and  is  at  a  level  of  6  inches  higher.  A  stone  ledge, 
about  7  inches  in  breadth,  runs  round  two  sides  of  this  cellar.  The 
rooms  on  the  first  and  attic  floors  enter  directly  from  the  staircase,  while 
the  second  floor  enters  from  a  passage  built  outside  the  staircase  wing. 
The  building,  containing  the  passage  and  a  small  closet  (shown  hatched), 
was  probably  erected  shortly  after  the  construction  of  the  tower,  and 
before  this  addition  was  made  the  second  floor  doubtless  entered  from  the 
staircase  like  the  others,  and  was  originally  one  room.  The  hall,  which  is 
on  the  first  floor,  measures  19  feet  3  inches  by  13  feet  9  inches,  and  is  10 
feet  10  inches  high.  It  is  well  lighted  by  two  windows  in  the  south 
wall,  opposite  which  is  the  fireplace  and  a  small  ambry. 

The  head-room  into  the  attic  floor  is  very -low,  owing  to  the  valley 
rafter  of  the  roof  crossing  the  passage  at  a  low  level.  Immediately  inside 
the  passage  the  east  wall  is  thinned  off,  leaving  a  ledge  8  inches  wide  at 
one  foot  above  the  floor.  The  interior  of  the  house  has  been  entirely 
modernised  about  the  beginning  of  this  century,  at  which  time  it  seems  to 
have  been  in  a  state  of  ruin.  The  exterior  of  the  doors  and  windows  have 
large  bead  mouldings  on  the  angles,  and  beneath  the  sills  of  the  staircase 
windows  are  shot-holes. 

The  lands  of  Garrion  belonged  to  the  Church  of  Glasgow,  and  in  1530 
mention  is  made  of  James  Hamilton  in  "  Garyn."  (See  Notices  of  Carluke, 
printed  by  W.  Rankin,  Glasgow,  p.  203.)  Under  the  Great  Seal,  a  charter 
of  confirmation  is  granted  to  "  James  Hamilton  of  Garion  and  Elizabeth 
Haye,  his  spouse,  and  the  longest  liver  of  them,  and  to  their  heirs,  of  the 
lands  of  Gairen,  held  of  the  Archbishop  of  Glasgow,  of  date  22nd  February 
1605  "  (Mag.  Sig.  Lib.  xlv.  No.  21). 


HAGGS  CASTLE,*  RENFREWSHIRE. 

Till  a  few  years  ago  this  building  stood  a  roofless  and  deserted  ruin,  a 
mile  or  two  south  from  Glasgow ;  and  about  the  time  the  drawings  were 
made,  a  door  was  knocked  through  the  north  wall,  and  the  ground  floor 
was  used  as  a  smithy  in  connection  with  coal  pits  in  the  vicinity.  The 
castle  has  lately  been  converted  into  a  habitable  dwelling-house,  and  has 
become  absorbed  in  the  ever-spreading  suburbs  of  the  city.  It  is  one  of 

*  The  Plans,  the  geometrical  drawing  of  the  south  elevation,  and  the  details  (Figs. 
409,  410,  and  411)  are  from  carefully-finished  drawings  made  from  actual  survey,  about 
forty  or  fifty  years  ago,  by  John  Baird,  Esq.,  architect,  Glasgow,  who  has  kindly 
lent  them  to  us,  together  with  photographs  of  the  castle,  from  which  the  general 
Views  (Figs.  412  and  413)  are  taken. 


i 


IIAGGS    CASTLE 


—  479  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


the  many  charming  buildings  (of  which  Newark  is  the  principal  of  this 
type)  that  we  owe  to  the  Maxwells.  There  is  a  certain  resemblance 
between  Newark  and  Haggs,  and  they  are  only  separated  in  date  by  about 
ten  years.  The  cable  moulding  is  frequently  used  in  both  structures,  and 


PLA.N      OF     FIRST      FLOOR 


PLAN      OF     GROUND      FLOOR 


FIG.  409.— Haggs  Castle.    Plans  of  First  Floor  and  Ground  Floor. 

about  both  there  is  a  similarity  in  the  general  richness  of  effect.  The 
staircase  turret,  corbelled  out  here  on  the  face  of  the  south  front,  has  also 
a  very  decided  resemblance  to  that  at  Newark  (Fig.  867,  Vol.  li.) 

Haggs  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  409),  with  the  staircase  and  entrance  door 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    480    — 


HAGGS    CASTLE 


in  the  wing.  The  vaulted  ground  floor  has  a  passage  leading  to  the  kitchen. 
The  kitchen  fireplace  is  large,  being  about  19  feet  by  5  feet,  and  is  lighted 
by  a  narrow  slit  at  either  end.  The  kitchen  vent  is  capacious,  and  is 
carried  up  in  the  usual  wide  chimney  stack  above  the  roof.  The  main 
stair  stops  at  the  first  floor,  from  whence  two  picturesque  wheel-stairs  led 
to  the  upper  floors — one  starting  from  the  landing  of  the  main  stair,  and 
the  other  entering  off  the  hall.  The  hall  is  lighted  by  three  windows,  and 
had  a  fine  stone  fireplace  in  the  south  wall,  which,  we  understand,  is  now 
shifted  to  the  opposite  wall. 


FIG.  410.— Haggs  Castle.    South  Elevation. 

Entering  from  the  deep  ingoing  of  the  end  window,  there  is  a  mural 
closet,  measuring  about  10  feet  by  4  feet,  from  which  a  private  stair  led 
down  to  the  cellar  beneath.  Adjoining  the  hall  is  the  private  room,  entered 
through  a  kind  of  porch  formed  by  the  staircase  turret.  It  has  a  project- 
ing garde-robe  in  the  north  wall,  which  is  continued  to  the  floor  above. 
Before  the  restoration  the  upper  floors  were  inaccessible  and  very  ruinous, 
but  the  top  floor  was  evidently  entirely  in  the  roof,  and  was  partly  lighted 
by  the  fine  dormers  shown  in  the  Views. 

The  high  pitched  dormer  on  the  left  hand  of  the  geometrical  elevation  is 


\ 


IIAGGS    CASTLE 


—    481    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


comparatively  modern,  the  original  window  being  similar  to  the  one  shown 
near  it  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The  original  principal  dormer,  being 
that  to  the  right  in  Fig.  410  (enlarged  in  Fig.  411),  seems  to  have 
been  ornamented  still  further  with  small  figures  resting  on  the  flat 


tf 

w 

J- 

•  fi 

' 

i 

1 

IS 

IN 

J 

_J 

FIG.  411. — Haggs  Castle.     Details  of  Entrance  Doorway  and  Dormer  Window. 

skew-putts.  These  figures,  when  Mr.  Baird  made  his  drawings,  were 
stowed  away  in  the  panels  over  the  doorway.  We  may  here  observe  that 
there  is  a  slight  discrepancy  between  the  drawing  now  given  'and  that 
shown  on  a  plate  in  Vol.  I.  of  F.  T.  Dolman's  work  on  Ancient  Domestic 

2  H 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  482  — 


HAGGS    CASTLE 


Architecture,  where  the  side  wing  has  a  projection  of  about  9  feet  8  inches, 
instead  of  14  feet  6  inches,  as  shown  in  Mr.  Baird's  drawing.  The  explana- 
tion of  this  is,  that  shortly  before  Mr.  Dolman's  drawings  were  made,  this 
wing  being  very  ruinous,  the  wall  containing  the  doorway  was  faced  up 
with  new  masonry,  so  as  to  preserve  the  doorway  from  falling  away,  and 
this  corner  Mr.  Dolman  has  represented  as  the  extremity  of  the  wing, 
while  it  had  in  reality  a  circular  end,  as  shown  on  Plan,  with  a  consider- 
ably greater  projection.  It  is  highly  probable  that  this  circular  end  was 


PIG.  412.— Haggs  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 


corbelled  out  to  the  square  at  the  top  in  the  manner  so  common  in  Scot- 
land, and  as  found  here  in  the  case  of  one  of  the  turrets  (Fig.  412). 

In  Sir  Win.  Eraser's  work  on  The  Maxwells  of  Pollock,  Yol.  I.  p.  4,  a 
restored  view  of  Haggs  is  given ;  but  it  must  be  received  with  caution 
as  a  representation  of  the  ancient  appearance  of  the  castle,  as  is  apparent 
from  the  foregoing  description  and  Mr.  Baird's  drawings. 

Over  the  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  413,  and  enlarged  in  Fig.  411)  was 
the  following  inscription,  now  almost  obliterated  : — 


HAOGS    CASTLE 


—  483  — 


FOURTH    PEHIOD 


1585 

NI    DOMINE 

-SIDES. STRVXK 

RIT.PRUSTRA.STRVIS. 

SR. JOHN. MAXWELL. OF. POLL  OK. KNY 

GHT.  AND.  DAME.  MARGARET. CONYNG  HAM. 

HIS.  WYF.BIGGET.  THIS.  HOWS. 

In  the  right-hand  corner  of  Fig.  413  is  shown  an  enlarged  View  of 
the  cornice  of  the  main  house  and  the  staircase  tower. 

The  above  Sir  John  Maxwell  was  the  twelfth  baron  of  Pollock.  The 
building  of  the  house  seems  greatly  to  have  taxed  the  energies  of  Sir 


FIG.  413.  -Haggs  Castle. 
View  from  South-East  and  Detail  of  Coruice. 


FOURTH    PERIOD  484   —  THE  MANSION-HOUSE,  GREENOCK 

John,  as  we  find  him  two  years  afterwards,  in  January  1587,  writing 
to  his  father-in-law  that  the  house  was  newly  finished,  wanting  only  "  the 
reparrating  (pargetting1?)  within,  whilk  is  na  lytell  mater."  Also,  he 
reminds  Conyngham  that  he  promised  help  before  the  house  was  begun, 
and  that  it  was  then  "  that  tyme  callit  zour  howis,  or  otherwais  I  had 
never  interpryisit  sice  ane  wark."  He  goes  on  to  say  that  he  is  ashamed 
that  his  house  "  sowld  stand  lyik  ane  twme  kirne."  The  letter,  however, 
is  written  "  from  the  Haggis,"  showing  that  it  was  at  least  habitable.  The 
Lady  Margaret  was  a  daughter  of  the  Laird  of  Caprington. 

Haggs  was  used  as  the  jointure  house  of  the  Maxwells  of  Pollock,  and 
there  are  no  incidents  of  much  historical  note  connected  with  it.  It 
seems  to  have  been  a  resort  of  Covenanting  preachers  during  the  times  of 
Episcopacy.  In  1667  a  conventicle  was  held  at  Haggs,  and  again  in  1676 
the  sacrament  was  administered  within  its  walls,  on  account  of  which  Sir 
John  Maxwell  was  imprisoned. 

About  50  or  60  feet  south-east  from  the  castle  there  was  a  built  well, 
5  or  6  feet  in  diameter,  the  wall  round  which  rose  4  or  5  feet  above  the 
ground,  and  was  finished  on  the  top  with  an  ornamental  cope,  enriched 
with  a  cable  moulding  and  dentils.  This  has  been  entirely  destroyed, 
and  the  well  has  been  closed  up. 


THE  MANSION-HOUSE,*  GREENOCK,  RENFREWSHIRE. 

This  old  mansion-house  was  taken  down  in  1886,  and  the  Caledonian 
Railway  now  passes  through  the  site.  The  building  stood  on  the  summit 
of  a  steep  and  lofty  bank  overlooking  the  Clyde.  From  this  position  it  has 
witnessed  the  rise  of  the  town  of  Greenock,  at  its  base,  from  a  small  fishing 
village  till  it  has  become  one  of  the  great  seaports  of  the  country.  The 
ground  slopes  very  rapidly  down  from  the  north  and  east  sides  of  the 
house,  with  a  flattish  terrace  adjoining  the  house. 

The  mansion  (Fig.  414)  consisted  of  two  distinct  portions,  the  more 
ancient  part  being  a  picturesque  old  Scottish  structure.  Attached  to  the 
west  side  of  this  was  a  square  rectangular  block,  designed  by  James  Watt, 
father  of  the  great  engineer.  There  is  reason  to  believe,  as  we  shall 
afterwards  show,  that  this  block  occupied  the  site  of  a  still  older  castle. 

In  the  year  1540  Sir  Alexander  Schaw  of  Sauchie  obtained  from 
James  v.  a  grant  of  the  forfeited  lands  of  Wester  Greenock  Schaw,  which 
had  belonged  to  Sir  James  Hamilton,  son  of  the  Earl  of  Arran.  The 
lands  are  conveyed  with  the  "  auld  castellsteid,  castell,  tour,  fortalice, 
and  manor  place  new  buildit."  The  ancient  part  of  the  house  recently 
taken  down  may  at  least  in  part  have  been  the  "  manor  place  new 
buildit,"  although  doubtless  considerably  altered  a  hundred  years  later. 

*  We  are  particularly  indebted  to  George  Williamson,  Esq.,  Historian  of 
Greenock,  for  assistance  in  connection  with  this  building. 


THE  MANSION-HOUSE,  GREENOCK  —    485   — 


FOUHTH    PERIOD 


Sir  Alexander  conferred  the  lands  of  Greenock  011  his  eldest  son  John  in 
1542  ;  and  on  the  termination  of  the  Sauchie  line  the  Schaws  of  Greenock 


Fid.  414. — The  Mansion-House,  Greenock.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

became  the  head  of  the  family,  and  continued  to  reside  in  Greenock  till 
1745,  when  they  removed  to  Ardgowan,  the  present  family  seat. 

John  Schaw,  the  third  of  Greenock,  and 
grandson  of  John  Schaw  just  mentioned, 
succeeded  in  1620  and  died  in  1679,  and 
it  was  during  his  occupancy  of  the  place 
that  several  dates  and  initials  were  affixed 
to  the  house.  These  were  as  follows :  over 
the  garden  entrance  "1635";  over  a  back 
entrance,  "1637";  over  the  staircase  door- 
way, "1674"  (Fig.  415);  and  on  an  orna- 
mental well  which  stood  in  the  Well  Park 
adjoining  the  mansion  (Fig.  416),  "  1629." 
This  well  seems  to  have  been  erected  by  this 
proprietor,  as  there  were  also  to  be  observed 
thereon  the  initials  and  entwined  monograms 
of  John  Schaw  and  his  wife,  Helen  Houstoun, 
daughter  of  the  Laird  of  Houstoun,  with 
the  Schaw  arms  (three  covered  cups). 
Probably  the  effaced  arms  on  one  of  the  shields  were  those  of  the 
Houstouns. 


FIG.  415. 
The  Mansion-House,  Greenock, 
Date  over  Staircase  poorway. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


486    THE  MANSION-HOUSE,  GREENOCK 


The  Sir  John  Schaw  who  succeeded  in  1679  resided  here  till  he  died, 
twenty  years  afterwards  ;  and  during  his  time  the  place  got  into  partial 
ruin  (a  part  of  it  having  actually  fallen)  ;  so  much  so  that  his  successors, 
the  second  Sir  John  and  his  wife,  Dame  Eleanor  Nicolson,  lived  generally 
at  her  patrimonial  estate  of  Carnock,  in  Stirlingshire.  Sir  John,  however, 
resolved  in  1702  to  rebuild  the  house  according  to  a  plan  prepared  by  Mr. 
Boak,  a  contractor  at  Stirling,  but  this  was  frustrated  by  his  death ;  and 
the  house  was  not  re-edified  till  some  time  before  1740  by  his  descendant, 
Lady  Cathcart,  who,  as  above  mentioned,  employed  James  Watt  as  her 


PIG.  416. — The  Mansion-House,  Greenock.    The  Well. 

architect.  It  seems  probable  that  the  part  of  the  house  which  fell  was 
the  "  auld  castellsteid,"  &c.,  already  referred  to. 

After  the  house  was  abandoned  by  the  family  it  was  let  to  various  tenants, 
and  the  vaulted  ground  floor  shown  on  the  Plan  was  used  as  a  prison. 
Evidence  of  this  was  to  be  seen  on  many  parts  of  the  walls,  where  the 
inmates  had  scratched  their  names,  with  the  dates  of  their  incarceration. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  house  there  was  a  courtyard,  and  along  the 
south  side  a  passage  leading  to  the  brew-house,  bake-house,  peat-house,  and 
coal-house.  These  houses  (which  were  removed  before  our  survey  was 


THE  MANSION-HOUSE,  GREENOCK  —   487    


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FIG.  417. — The  Mansion-House,  Greenoek.     View  from  South-East 


FIG.  418.— The  Mansion-House,  Greenock.    View  from  South- West. 


FOUKTH    PERIOD 


488    THE  MANSION-HOUSE,  GREENOCK 


made)  are  shown  on  the  Plan,  and  for  their  position  we  are  indebted 
to  a  plan  made  in  1750,  in  the  possession  of  Lord  Cathcart,  and  kindly 
lent  us  by  his  lordship. 

A  doorway  and  passage  at  the  point  where  the  old  and  new  houses 
joined  entered  from  a  garden  which  lay  to  the  south.  This  led  into 
a  small  open  court,  entering  from  which  was  a  door  leading  to  the 


FIG.  419. — The  Mansion-House,  Greenock.    South  Front  of  Old  Portion. 

vaulted  apartments  on  the  ground  floor  of  the  old  house.  This  door,  as  will 
be  seen  on  Plan,  was  secured  with  a  sliding  bar,  which  passed  through  a 
niche  for  a  lamp  rest.  The  kitchen  had  a  floor  drain  and  a  shoot  through 
the  east  wall.  In  the  small  room  adjoining  the  kitchen  there  was  an  oven. 
Between  the  south  cellar  and  south-east  tower  there  was  a  private  stair 
to  the  first  floor.  The  entrance  doorway,  with  the  date  1674,  opened 
from  the  small  court  just  mentioned  and  led  to  the  wheel-stair. 

\ 


OLD    BI8HOPTON  -    489    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

The  older  part  of  the  house  (Fig.  417)  showed  a  picturesque  assemblage 
of  crow-stepped  gables  and  chimneys,  which  were  evidently  the  work  of 
various  periods.  The  Plan  seems  originally  to  have  been  of  the  L  form, 
with  the  staircase  in  the  re-entering  angle.  Hut  this  appears  to  have  been 
altered  when  the  door  bearing  the  date  of  1674  was  inserted  at  this  point. 

The  newer  house  (shown  by  hatching  in  Plan,  and  in  Fig.  418)  was 
added  to  the  westwards,  as  above  narrated,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  It  contains  a  large  amount  of  accommodation,  and 
has  its  west  front  designed  in  the  symmetrical  manner  then  prevalent, 
with  a  central  doorway  and  windows  on  each  side. 

Fig.  419  shows  details  of  the  south  front  of  the  old  house. 


OLD  BISHOPTON,   RENFREWSHIRE. 

An  old  mansion,  about  one  mile  west  from  Bishopton  village.  It 
stands  on  a  high  rocky  platform  above  the  railway,  and  commands  an 
extensive  view  over  the  Clyde,  from  which  it  is  distant  about  one  mile. 
The  house  is  approached  from  the  south  by  a  fine  avenue  of  ancient  lime 
trees.  It  is  of  the  simplest  style  of  Scottish  architecture,  being  of  the 
period  after  the  disuse  of  turrets. 


Fio.  420.— Old  Bishopton.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

Originally  the  structure  consisted  of  a  plain  L  (tinted  black  on  Plan, 
Fig.  420),  the  south  wing  containing  a  wide  square  staircase  and  the 
entrance  doorway.  The  latter  has  some  rustic  work  around  it  externally 
(Fig.  421). 

The  main  block  contains  two  vaulted  cellars,  the  loop-holes  in  which 
have  an  antique  character,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  the 
walls  of  this  part  of  the  structure  are  old,  and  that  the  upper  portions 
have  been  rebuilt  or  restored  at  a  later  date.  The  wings  (shown  by 
hatched  lines)  to  the  south  and  west  of  the  central  building  are  certainly 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    490    — 


LOCH    RANZA    CASTLE 


late  additions,  made  to  obtain  extended  accommodation.  That  at  the 
west  end  contains  a  kitchen  on  the  ground  floor,  with  its  large  fireplace, 
and  it  is  entered  by  an  outside  door,  showing  that  it  was  an  outer  kitchen 
for  servants,  such  as  we  have  met  with  several  times  elsewhere. 


PIG.  421.— Old  Bishopton.    View  from  South-West. 

The  estate  belonged  from  the  fourteenth  century  till  the  close  of  the 
seventeenth  to  the  family  of  Brisbane,  when  the  lands  were  alienated  by 
John  Brisbane  to  John  Walkinshaw  of  that  ilk.*  This  family  again  sold 
the  property  to  Hugh  Dunlop,  Esq.,  after  which  it  passed  by  marriage  to 
Lord  Sempill,  from  whom  it  was  acquired  by  Sir  J.  Maxwell  of  Pollock. 


LOCH  RANZA  CASTLE,  f  ARRAN,  BUTESHIRE. 

This  castle  occupies  the  extremity  of  a  low-lying  peninsula  jutting  out 
from  the  west  side  of  and  stretching  nearly  across  the  loch,  which  is  a  well- 
sheltered  haven,  at  the  north  end  of  the  island,  surrounded  with  hills. 
The  structure  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  422),  the  main  block  being  66  feet 
long  by  35  feet  wide,  with  a  tower  at  the  south-west  corner  projecting  15 
feet  6  inches  and  in  breadth  about  16  feet  6  inches. 

The  approach  is  on  the  west  or  landward  side,  and  the  present 
entrance  faces  the  approach.  A  stone  bartizan  (as  seen  on  the  Third 
Floor  Plan  and  View,  Fig.  423)  is  projected  on  corbels  over  this  door- 
way for  its  defence.  Immediately  inside  the  door  a  wheel -stair  on 
the  left  hand  leads  to  the  upper  floors.  On  the  ground  floor  one  large 

*  Crawford's  Renfrewshire,  p.  113. 

t  We  are  indebted  to  H.  J.  Blanc,  Esq.,  architect,  for  the  Plans  of  this  castle. 


LOCK    RANZA   CASTLE 


—    491    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    492    — 


LOCH    RANZA    CASTLE 


LOCH  RANZA  CASTLE  -  493  —  FOURTH  PERIOD 

apartment  occupies  the  southern  part  of  the  castle.  The  extreme 
south  end  is  partitioned  off  and  forms  a  passage,  giving  access  to  a  long 
flight  of  stairs  in  the  east  wall,  and  also  to  a  small  arched  chamber  lighted 
with  a  loop,  and  having  an  oblong  aperture  in  the  vault,  measuring  5  feet 
11|  inches  by  20  inches,  opening  on  the  dais  floor  of  the  hall  above.  This 
was  probably  a  hatch  by  which  barrels  might  be  hoisted  to  the  hall.  A 
small  sin"k  and  drain  are  connected  with  the  above  chamber. 

The  basement  of  the  south-west  tower  seems  to  have  been  the 
dungeon,  from  its  being  guarded  by  a  narrow  door  about  2  feet  wide, 
secured  outside  with  a  sliding  bar.  The  floor  is  about  2  feet  lower  than 
that  of  the  cellar  adjoining,  and  the  ceiling  is  about  9  feet  4  inches  high. 
The  dungeon  is  about  7  feet  6  inches  square.  At  the  north  end  of  the 
basement  are  two  vaulted  apartments,  with  a  low  door  of  communication 
about  4  feet  high.  A  long  straight  staircase  in  the  thickness  of  the  east 
wall  led  to  the  first  floor.  It  seems  likely  that  there  was  a  second  entrance 
doorway  on  the  east  side,  some  few  feet  above  the  ground  (the  level  of 
which  is  probably  higher  at  this  part  now  than  it  was  originally),  and  that 
that  door  led  into  the  mural  stair,  as  if  into  a  porch  or  lobby,  near  the  point 
where  the  stair  has  a  wide  landing  (as  shown  on  Plan).  There  were  evidently 
doors  at  this  level  across  the  staircase,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  access 
up  the  stair  on  the  one  hand  and  down  on  the  other.  The  top  of  the  stair- 
case is  now  built  up,  and  has  been  so  for  long,  as  on  the  other  side  of  the 
wall  a  garde-robe  has  been  formed  during  the  later  occupation  of  the  castle. 
That  this  staircase  gave  access  to  the  hall  above  is  quite  obvious  from  the 
built-up  door  in  the  side  wall.  The  dotted  lines  shown  in  the  above  garde- 
robe  indicate  partitions  on  the  floor  and  ceiling,  now  removed.  The  wheel- 
stair  on  the  west  side  of  the  castle  gives  access  to  the  hall  and  to  the  kitchen, 
which  are  on  the  same  level,  and  have  a  service  window  between  them.  The 
hall  measures  34  feet  6  inches  by  23  feet,  and  has  at  the  south  end  the  dais, 
already  referred  to,  which  is  raised  about  2  feet.  A  doorway  leading  from 
the  dais  gives  access  to  the  room  over  the  dungeon,  and  to  a  small  wheel-stair 
leading  to  several  rooms  above.  It  is  surprising  to  find  that  there  is  no  fire- 
place in  the  hall,  but  it  is  probably  built  up.  It  seems  most  likely  that  the 
fireplace  was  in  the  south  wall  of  the  hall,  the  floor  of  which  was  of  timber, 
the  cellars  beneath  not  being  vaulted ;  but  a  space,  5  feet  in]  breadth,  at 
the  south  end,  is  covered  with  flagstones,  apparently  so  as  to  form  a  fire- 
proof hearth  near  the  fireplace.  The  kitchen  contains  a  large  fireplace,  with 
drain  and  window. 

The  upper  floors,  which  are  reached  by  the  two  wheel-stairs,  will  be 
easily  understood  from  the  Second  and  Third  Floor  Plans  (see  Fig.  422). 
The  south-west  tower  contains  a  vaulted  story  at  a  higher  level  than  the 
main  building,  and  the  north-east  corner  (Fig.  424)  is  also  carried  up  as  a 
tower,  and  provided  with  a  separate  staircase.  The  south-west  tower, 
the  top  of  which  is  inaccessible,  had  in  all  probability  a  battlemented 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  494  — 


LOCH    RANZA    CASTLE 


walk,  with  the  south-west  angle  carried  up  as  a  watch-turret ;  indeed,  the 
holes  for  the  escape  of  water  from  the  walk  are  distinctly  visible  along  the 
north  side. 

Fordun,  writing  about  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  or  beginning 
of  the  fifteenth  (see  Skeet's  translation  of  Fordun,  Vol.  n.)  speaks  of 
"Arran,  where  are  two  royal  castles — Brethwyk  and  Lochransie." 

Shortly  after  that  date  it  was  held  by  John  de  Monteith,  Lord  of 
Arran,  who  in  1433  conferred  it,  with  the  lands  adjoining,  on  Sir  Duncan 
Campbell  of  Lochaw,  from  whom  are  descended  the  Argyll  family. 

Between  1445  and  1450  Ronald  M'Alister  was  keeper  and  tenant,  and 


Pio.  424. — Loch  Ranza  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

by  grant  of  James  II.  the  castle  and  lands  passed  to  Alexander,  Lord 
Montgomery,  ancestor  of  the  Earls  of  Eglinton.  His  grandson  in  1488 
was  keeper  of  Brodick,  and  in  the  year  following  of  Rothesay  Castle. 

It  is  thus  evident  that  a  castle  must  have  existed  here  from  an  early 
time  ;  but  it  is  equally  clear  from  its  style  that  the  existing  structure  was 
erected  subsequently  to  the  above  dates,  although  no  record  seems  to  be 
preserved  of  the  builder.  It  corresponds  in  style  with  Elcho  Castle,  Fordel 
Castle,  and  similar  structures  of  the  latter  half  of  the  sixteenth  century. 


STAIR    HOUSE 


495    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


CORSEHTLL  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  very  ruinous  mansion,  near  Stewarton,  evidently  of  a  late  date.  It 
was  the  seat  of  the  family  of  Cunningham,  and  was  apparently  on  the 
L  Plan.  A  view  of  it,  drawn  in  1789,  is  given  by  Grose. 


STAIR  HOUSE,  AYRSHIRE. 

This  interesting  old  mansion  is  pleasantly  situated  on  a  wide  holm, 
which  occurs  amidst  the  windings  of  the  River  Ayr,  about  eight  miles  up 
from  the  town  of  Ayr.  The  property  belonged  to  the  Kennedies,  and 
"  William  de  Dalrymple  about  1450  acquired  the  lands  of  Stair-Mont- 
gomerie  with  his  wife,  Agnes  Kennedy." 


Fi«.  425.— Stair  House.    View  from  South-West. 

There  seems  to  be  no  record  of  the  erection  of  the  house,  but  from  its 
pleasant  and  sheltered  situation  on  the  low  ground,  as  well  as  from  its 
style,  it  is  clearly  not  a  very  ancient  structure.  It  is  called  Stair  House, 
not  Castle,  and  has  certainjy  more  of  the  character  of  a  pleasant  mansion 
than  of  a  fortress. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    496    — 


AUCHINLKCK   CASTLE 


James,  first  Viscount  Stair,  was  born  in  1619.  He  was  a  man  of  talent 
and  distinction  ;  and  besides  being  a  soldier  and  philosopher,  he  became 
President  of  the  Court  of  Session.  He  lived  till  1695.  The  style  of  the 
house  would  perfectly  correspond  with  a  date  within  the  long  period  of 
his  lifetime,  although  possibly  some  of  the  walls  may  be  older. 

Originally  the  house  (Fig.  425)  seems  to  have  been  a  mansion  designed  on 
the  L  Plan,  with  a  round  tower  at  the  north-west  angle  and  a  square  one  at 


Fio.  426.— Stair  House.     View  from  North- West. 

the  diagonally  opposite  or  south-east  angle.  The  main  body  had  the  usual 
vaulted  ground  floor,  with  the  hall  and  other  rooms  on  the  first  and  second 
floors.  To  this  central  block  various  additions  have  been  made  at  different 
times.  One  of  these  extends  towards  the  east,  and  has  a  round  tower 
attached  at  the  north-east  angle  (Fig.  426).  Another  is  added  towards  the 
south,  and  has  a  lower  but  very  picturesque  round  tower  at  the  south-west 
angle.  The  whole  of  these  erections  combine  to  form  a  very  pleasing  and 
picturesque  example  of  a  Scottish  country  house  of  the  seventeenth  century. 


AUCHINLECK  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

In  this  locality  there  are  traces  of  four  different  buildings,  which  have 
at  various  times  formed  the  residence  of  the  proprietors,  the  ancient  family 
of  Boswell  of  Auchinleck.  There  is,  first,  the  fragment  of  an  old  keep 


AUCHINLECK    CASTLE 


—    497    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


figured  by  Grose,  then  the  seventeenth-century  structure  shown  in  Fig. 
427,*  which  was  superseded  by  the  "  handsome  modern  seat  of  James 
Boswell,  Esq.,"  visited  by  Dr.  Johnson  in  1773  ;  and  lastly,  the  existing 
mansion  erected  by  Lord  Auchinleck  in  the  beginning  of  this  century. 

The  mansion  of  the  seventeenth  century  has  evidently  been  a  building 
of  the  L  Plan,  with  a  tower  in  the  re-entering  angle,  which  appears  to 
have  contained  the  entrance  doorway  and  staircase.  The  top  floor  of  the 
tower  was,  as  usual,  a  room  which  might  be  used  as  a  watch  tower.  It 


Fio.  427. — Auchinleck  Castle. 

had  over  the  doorway  a  projecting  defence,  and  at  one  of  the  corners 
there  appears  to  have  been  a  small  corbelled  bow  window,  similar  to  one 
shown  in  the  view  of  a  house  in  Elgin  (to  be  afterwards  given). 

The  tower  was  finished  with  a  saddle-back  roof  and  had  gabled  crow- 
steps.  The  building  was  surrounded  with  a  high  wall,  as  seen  on  the  left 
of  the  Sketch,  where  also  will  be  noticed  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  entrance 
gateway.  Adjoining  the  "  place  "  are,  or  were,  the  ruins  of  the  more 
ancient  Castle  of  Auchinleck,  which  occupied  a  strong  position  on  the 
banks  of  the  Lugar. 

*  From  a  View  in  the  collection  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy.  It  is  dated 
1789,  being  the  year  when  Captain  Grose  visited  Auchinleck. 


2  i 


FOURTH    PERIOD  498    MAYBOLE    CASTLE 


MAYBOLE  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

During  the  sixteenth  century  this  edifice  was  the  "  town  house " 
of  the  Earl  of  Cassillis.  Maybole  was  the  capital  of  the  district  of 
Carrick,  of  which  the  earl  was  the  hereditary  chief ;  and  here,  says 
Abercrummie  (the  Episcopalian  minister  of  "Minibole,"  "outed"  at  the 
Revolution),  "  have  been  many  pretty  buildings  belonging  to  the  severall 
gentry  of  the  countrey,  who  were  wont  to  resort  thither  in  winter,  and 
divert  themselves  in  converse  together  at  their  owne  houses.  ...  It  hath 
one  principall  street,  with  houses  on  both  sydes  built  of  freestone,  and  it  is 
beautifyed  with  the  situation  of  two  castles,  one  at  each  end  of  this  street. 
That  on  the  east  belongs  to  the  Earle  of  Cassillis;  beyond  which,  eastward, 
stands  a  great  new  building,  which  be  his  granaries.  On  the  West  end  is 
a  castle,  which  belonged  sometime  to  the  Laird  of  Blairquhan,  which  is 
now  the  Tolbuith,  and  is  adorned  with  a  pyramide,  and  a  row  of  ballesters 
round  it,  raised  upon  the  top  of  the  stairecase,  into  which  they  have 
mounted  a  fyne  clock."  * 

Besides  these,  tradition  preserves  the  names  of  several  other  town 
residences  of  the  Lairds  of  Carrick,  such  as  "  the  black  house"  of  the 
Kennedies  of  Knockdone ;  the  mansions  of  Sir  Thomas  Kennedy  of 
Culzean ;  of  Kennedy  of  Ballimore ;  the  "  White  Horse  Inn,"  formerly 
belonging  to  the  Lairds  of  Kilhenzie  ;  the  "  Garden  of  Eden,"  the  residence 
of  the  abbots  of  Crosraguel,  and  the  house  where  Abbot  Quentin  Kennedy 
and  John  Knox  held  their  celebrated  conference.! 

Maybole  also  possessed  a  collegiate  church,  with  a  rector  and  three 
prebends.  The  ruins  of  the  church,  a  late  Gothic  structure,  are  still  in 
fair  preservation,  and  have  been  used  as  the  burial  place  of  the  Earls  of 
Cassillis  and  others. 

This  little  town,  which  stands  on  a  hillside  sloping  to  the  south,  about 
nine  miles  south  from  Ayr,  may,  from  the  above  description  and  its  actual 
condition,  be  cited  as  a  good  example  of  the  local  centres  or  provincial 
county  towns  of  the  period.  Such  centres  were  in  those  days,  when  roads 
were  bad  and  travelling  dangerous,  much  more  numerous  than  now,  when 
travelling  is  easy  and  rapid  ;  but  few  have  preserved  their  pristine  features 
so  little  altered  as  Maybole.  Here  we  still  find  the  castle  of  the  Lord  of 
the  Bailiery  standing  guard  at  the  east  end,  and  that  of  the  Laird  of 
Blairquhan  at  the  west  end  of  the  main  street  (although  the  town  has 
extended  beyond  them),  while  the  ruins  of  the  College  Kirk  nestle  quietly 
in  the  centre.  A  few  old  houses  are  also  still  traceable  here  and  there, 
but  they  are  fast  disappearing. 

The  castle  of  Maybole  is  evidently  a  structure  of  the  Fourth  Period. 

*  A  View  of  this  tower  will  be  given  in  Vol.  iv.,  along  with  the  other  Tolbooths. 

t  Historie  of  the  Kennedies,  p.  175. 


MAYBOLE    CASTLE  -    499    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

Its  south  gable  fronts  the  principal  street.  The  plan  (Fig.  428)  is  of  the 
simple  quadrilateral  form,  with  a  square  projection  at  the  south-west  angle 
containing  the  principal  stair,  which  ascends  to  near  the  top,  where  the 
turret  is  corbelled  out  in  the  usual  manner  and  formed  into  a  handsome 
prospect  room,  with  a  bow  window  to  the  west  (Fig.  429).  The  entrance 
from  the  street  was  doubtless  on  the  west  side  of  the  castle,  where  a  gate- 
way in  a  high  wall  would  lead  into  a  paved  courtyard.  From  this  the 
principal  doorway  opened  into  the  castle  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the 
turret ;  but  this  part  of  the  building  is  now  concealed  by  modern  additions. 
The  basement  is  vaulted,  and  the  first  floor  contained  the  hall,  which  was 
31  feet  by  18  feet,  but  is  now  somewhat  altered.  It  is  lighted  by  two  large 
windows  to  the  east,  overlooking  the  garden,  and  one  to  the  south  fronting 
the  street,  and  there  have  also  been  two  windows  on  the  west  side.  The 
windows  have  probably  been  enlarged.  The  walls  are  4  feet  in  thickness. 
The  upper  floors  contain  the  usual  bedrooms,  with  dressing-closets  in  the 
angle  turrets.  As  above  remarked,  the  top  story  of  the  staircase  turret  is 


FIG.  428.— Maybole  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

a  very  pleasant  and  cheerful  room.  The  wooden  panelling  of  the  walls  still 
remains,  and  a  deep  arched  alcove  contains  the  picturesque  bow  window. 
This  is  one  of  the  few  examples  in  our  Scottish  edifices  of  that  charming 
feature  of  English  architecture,  and,  together  with  the  large  size  of  the  angle 
turrets,  the  ornamental  and  remarkable  form  of  the  dormers,  and  the  en- 
riched chimney -heads  (Fig.  430),  clearly  point  to  a  late  date — probably  about 
the  same  as  Huntly  Castle,  or  the  first  quarter  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
At  the  commencement  of  that  century  the  earldom  was  possessed  by  John, 
fifth  earl,  who  was  much  engaged  in  local  feuds  in  Ayrshire  and  Galloway, 
including  that  in  which  the  young  Laird  of  Bargany  was  slain.  (See 
Ardstinchar  Castle.)  He  died  in  1615,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
nephew,  John,  sixth  earl,  eldest  son  of  Gilbert,  Master  of  Cassillis.  He 
was  a  person  of  virtue  and  distinction,  and  rose  to  be  President  of  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    500    — 


MAYBOLE   CASTLE 


•Fio.  429.-  -Maybole  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 


MAYBOLE    CASTLE 


—    501    — 


FOURTH    PEHIOD 


Fio.  430.— Maybole  Castle.    View  from  North- East. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    502    — 


BALTERSAN    CASTLE 


Court.  In  1649  lie  was  sent  by  the  Estates  to  confer  with  Charles  II.  in 
Holland,  and  at  the  Restoration  was  appointed  Extraordinary  Lord  of 
Session.  His  death  occurred  in  1668.*  From  his  date  and  character,  it 
is  almost  certain  that  we  owe  the  fine  work  at  Maybole  and  the  restoration 
at  Cassillis  to  this  earl.  The  castle  of  M  ay  bole  has  been  enlarged  in  recent 
years,  and  is  now  occupied  by  Lord  Ailsa's  factor. 

Of  the  town  house  of  the  Laird  of  Blairquhan,  above  described  by 
Abercrummie,  little  now  remains  beyond  the  staircase  tower,  with  its 
"pyramide"  raised  upon  the  top,  and  the  "fyne  clock."  The  top  story, 
with  the  pointed  and  cusped  windows,  was  probably  added  late  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  and,  from  Abercrummie's  account,  it  seems  then  to 
have  had  a  parapet,  with  "a  row  of  ballesters  round  it."  The  battlement 
we  now  see  is  of  comparatively  recent  origin,  and  the  structure  has  other- 
wise undergone  so  many  alterations  that  little  of  the  original  is  left.  The 
tower,  however,  forms  one  of  a  series  of  Scottish  tolbooth,  or  town-hall 
steeples  (several  of  which  will  be  illustrated  in  the  next  volume),  and  is 
thus  of  considerable  interest. 


BALTERSAN  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  mansion,  built  on  a  modification  of  the  L  Plan,  situated  about  one 
mile  west  from  Maybole.  This  was  the  residence  of  Egidia  Blair,  Lady 
Row,  who  died  at  Baltersan  in  1530.  Her  will  was  confirmed  by  the 


FIRST      TLOOR     PLAN 


PIG.  431.— Baltersan  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 


Archbishop  of  Glasgow,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  place  then 
belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Crosraguel. 

*  Paterson's  History  of  Ayrshire,  Vol.  n.  p.  286. 


UALTRRSAN    CASTLK 


—  503  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  had  become  the  property 
of  the  family  of  the  Kennedies  of  Baltersan,  the  lands  of  Baltersan  having 
been  disponed  by  Allan  Stewart,  commendator  of  Crosraguel  in  1574,  to 
David  Kennedy  of  Penyglen,  by  whom  the  existing  house  is  said  to  have 
been  erected.  This  family  were  also  the  proprietors  of  Greenan  Castle, 
near  Ayr,  and  were  mixed  up  with  the  feuds  between  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 


FIG.  432.—  Baltersan  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

and  the  Lairds  of  Bargany  and  Colzean.  The  main  building  (Fig.  431)  is 
52  feet  long  by  28  feet  wide,  with  walls  about  4  feet  in  thickness.  The 
entrance  is  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  tower,  in  which  there  is,  as 
usual,  a  wide  staircase,  which  goes  as  high  as  the  second  floor.  Above 
this  there  were  rooms  in  the  tower,  which  is  finished  in  a  picturesque 
manner  (Fig.  432),  with  an  overhanging  story  supported  on  continuous 


FOURTH    PERIOD  -    504    -  PINWHERRY    CASTLE 

corbellings,  and  furnished  with  a  square  projecting  window,  boldly 
corbelled  out,  and  provided  with  shot-holes  in  the  sides  of  the  projection. 
The  stair  to  the  upper  floors  is  in  a  corbelled  turret,  which  in  this  instance 
is  square,  not  rounded  in  the  ordinary  manner. 

The  ground  floor  is,  as  usual,  vaulted,  and  contained  the  kitchen  and 
cellars.  The  hall  occupies  the  first  floor,  and  is  36  feet  long  by  19  feet 
wide.  It  was  lighted  by  windows  on  three  sides,  two  of  them  provided 
with  stone  seats,  and  was  well  furnished  with  closets  off  the  apartment. 
In  the  space  to  the  south  of  the  kitchen  vent  a  small  private  stair  con- 
ducts to  the  upper  floors.  Near  the  ceiling  of  the  hall  there  is  a  spy-hole 
from  this  stair  commanding  the  hall.  High  windows  are  introduced  over 
closets,  &c.,  after  the  manner  of  earlier  times.  The  upper  floors  are  now 
gone,  but  they  have  evidently  been  two  in  number,  the  top  story  being 
lighted  with  dormers,  and  some  of  the  angles  provided  with  turrets. 
This  is  a  good  example  of  a  thoroughly  Scottish  mansion  of  the  Fourth 
Period.  In  the  description  of  Carrick  by  Mr.  William  Abercrummie, 
minister  of  Maybole,  written  towards  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  Baltersan  is  described  as  "a  stately  fyne  house,  with  gardens, 
orchards,  parks,  and  woods  about  it " ;  but  these  unfortunately  are  now 
all  gone,  and  the  castle  stands  deserted  in  the  middle  of  a  corn-field. 


PINWHERRY  CASTLE,  AYRSHIRE. 

A  castle,  situated  on  a  gentle  eminence  in  the  valley  of  the  Stinchar,  near 
its  junction  with  the  Muick  Water,  and  not  far  from  Pinwherry  Railway 


PIG.  433. — Pinwherry  Castle.    Plans. 


Station.  It  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  433),  and  measures  about  35  feet  from 
north  to  south  over  the  wing,  by  about  30  feet  from  east  to  west.  The 
entrance  doorway  is  in  the  east  face  of  the  re-entering  angle.  It  is  now 


PINWIIERRY    CASTLK 


—    505    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


very  much  broken  down,  and  is  provided  with  a  bar-hole  and  ambry  for  a 
lamp.  The  staircase,  now  destroyed,  was  in  the  wing,  and  stops  as  usual 
at  the  first  floor,  the  space  above  forming  rooms. 

From  the  first  floor  level  the  ascent  is  continued  in  a  square  projecting 
turret  (Fig.  435).  A  narrow  private  stair  leads  from  the  ground  floor  to 
the  first  floor.  The  latter  contains  the  hall,  measuring  about  25  feet  by  16 
feet.  It  has  a  large  fireplace  in  the  centre  of  the  north  side,  with  one 
window  adjoining  it ;  two  windows  in  the  south  side,  one  of  them  being 
high  above  the  floor  (Fig.  434) ;  and  one  in  each  end,  the  east  one 


Pio.  434.— Pinwherry  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

being  a  high  window.  There  was  probably  an  enclosure  to  the  north, 
in  continuation  of  the  west  wall,  where  tusked  stones  are  seen  in  the 
View  (Fig.  435). 

From  Paterson's  Families  of  Ayrshire,  Vol.  I.  p.  312,  we  learn  that 
"  Pinquharrie  "  belonged  in  the  sixteenth  century  to  one  of  the  numerous 
branches  of  the  Kennedies.  The  first  is  Johnne  Kennedie  of  Banquharrie, 
of  date  1596-7.  The  last  of  the  branch  was  Thomas  Kennedy,  who 
"deceissit  October  1644."  Four  years  later  John,  Earl  of  Carrick, 
was  retoured  in  the  lands  of  Pinquharrie,  since  which  date  the  place 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    506    — 


GALDKNOCH    CASTLE 


FIG.  435.  — Pinwherry  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

has  passed  through  various  hands.     It  is  evidently  a  structure  of  the 
Fourth  Period. 


GALDENOCH  CASTLE,  WIGTONSHIRK. 

Situated  about  seven  miles  north-west  from  Stranraer,  this  ruin  (Fig. 
436)  stands  secluded  in  a  hollow  dell,  through  which  a  winding  burn 


DUNSKEY    CASTLE 


—    507    — 


FOURTH    PEUIOD 


hurries  on  to  the  not  far  distant  sea.  The  building,  which  is  in  a  very 
dilapidated  condition,  is  of  the  L  Plan,  and  contains  the  usual  arrange- 
ments—viz., the  door  in  the  re-entering  angle,  a  vaulted  ground  floor,  and 
a  main  stair  in  the  wing  to  the  first  and  second  floors,  with  a  corbelled 
turret  stair  in  the  angle  leading  to  the  upper  floor  and  attic.  The  castle  is 
valuable  as  exhibiting  an  unaltered  example  of  a  style  of  crow-steps 


PIG.  436.— Galdenoch  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

peculiar  to  Galloway,  of  which  restored  specimens  are  to  be  seen  at 
Mochrum.  The  crow-steps  are  built  of  small  stones,  which  are  protected 
on  the  top  with  a  large  thin  slate. 

Galdenoch  Castle  was  built  by  Gilbert  Agnew,  second  son  of  Andrew 
Agnew  of  Lochnaw,  between  the  years  1547  and  1570.  It  has  evidently 
been  abandoned  for  many  years. 


DUNSKEY  CASTLE,  WIGTONSHIEE. 

This  rugged  and  ruinous  pile  is  situated  near  the  town  ,of  Port- 
patrick,  on  a  wild  rocky  site  overlooking  the  sea.  The  rock  on  which 
it  stands  is  cut  off  by  deep  ravines,  both  on  the  north  and  south  sides 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    508    — 


DUNSKEY    CASTLE 


FIG.  437.— Dunskey  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


DUNSKEY    CASTLE 


—    509 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


of  the  castle.  Along  the  north  there  is  no  passage,  the  wall  coming 
up  to  the  very  edge  of  the  rock ;  while  at  the  south  one  can  only 
scramble  round.  The  rock  projects  westwards  from  the  castle  towards 
the  sea  for  about  forty  paces,  forming  a  courtyard,  the  precipitous  face 
of  which  afforded  absolute  protection.  The  position  of  the  castle  stretch- 
ing across  the  neck  of  the  rock  is  thus  very  strong,  and  is  still  further 
strengthened  and  secured  towards  the  east  by  a  moat,  about  fourteen  paces 
wide,  running  along  the  outer  or  landward  side  of  the  castle.  Across 
this  moat  an  embankment  now  leads  to  the  entrance  gateway,  through 
which  a  wide  passage  conducts  under  part  of  the  buildings  to  the  court- 
yard. This  gateway  is  the  only  opening  near  the  ground  level,  and  it  was 
secured  by  a  sliding-bar.  In  its  situation  and  mode  of  access  Dunskey 
Castle  has  thus  a  considerable  resemblance  to  Ravenscraig  Castle  in  Fife,* 
and  numerous  other  castles  on  the  east  coast. 

The  main  building  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  437),  with  a  tower  containing 


PIG.  438. — Dunskey  Castle.     Plan  of  First  Floor. 

the  entrance  from  the  courtyard  in  the  re-entering  angle,  and  having  a  long 
narrow  wing  extending  northwards,  so  that  the  whole  structure  presents 
an  unbroken  front  of  100  feet  towards  the  land.  In  the  entrance  passage 
there  is  a  stone  seat,  and  a  guardroom  enters  from  each  side.  The  whole 
of  the  ground  floor  is  vaulted.  The  doorway  leads  by  a  wide  passage 
to  what  has  been  a  handsome  scale  and  platt  stair  in  the  main  wing 
of  the  L,  leading  to  the  first  floor,  where,  in  the  usual  manner,  it  ter- 
minates, access  to  the  upper  floors  having  been  obtained  by  a  wheel-stair 
in  the  tower  of  the  re-entering  angle.  Adjoining  the  passage  at  the 
entrance  door  is  another  central  passage  lighted  by  an  end  window,  which 
gives  access  to  various  cellars,  the  largest  one  having  also  a  private  stair 
in  the  thickness  of  the  wall  leading  up  to  the  hall.  Under  the  outside 
wall  of  this  cellar,  and  partly  in  the  moat — visible  only  from  the  outside — 
is  the  well,  as  shown  on  Plan.  It  does  not,  however,  seem  to  have  been 
accessible  from  the  inside  of  the  castle. 

The  cellars  in  the  south-west  wing  are  long  and  narrow,  being  divided 

*  Vol.  i.  p.  538. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   510   — 


DUNSKEY    CASTLE 


by  the  walls  which  supported  the  steps  of  the  main  stair.  A  service 
window  opens  from  the  centre  passage  into  the  stair  passage,  but  there 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  kitchen  on  the  ground  floor,  nor  indeed 
anywhere  in  the  castle. 

Adjoining  the  entrance  door  is  a  cellar  entering  only  from  the 
courtyard.  There  is  a  peculiar  enclosure  in  this  rootn  (shown  on  Plan), 
partly  sunk  into  the  wall  and  partly  projecting  into  the  apartment,  but  it 
is  now  so  broken  down  as  to  give  no  clue  to  its  purpose.  Near  the  north 


FIG.  439.— Dunskey  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

end  a  narrow  passage,  3  feet  3  inches  wide,  goes  from  the  front  to  the  back 
wall,  but  not  through  to  the  moat ;  entering  from  this  passage  is  the 
northmost  cellar,  which  is  perfectly  dark. 

The  first  floor  consists  of  two  large  rooms  (Fig.  438),  entering  the  one 
through  the  other.  The  first  room  or  hall  is  about  36  feet  8  inches  long  by 
17  feet  wide  ;  it  has  a  fireplace  14  feet  4  inches  wide  by  33  inches  deep,  with 
a  window  looking  towards  the  sea.  This  room  is  well  lighted,  having  three 
windows  towards  the  land,  the  centre  one  being  at  a  high  level,  another 
window  in  the  south  end,  besides  a  high  window  adjoining  the  fireplace 


STRANRAEB    CASTLE  -    511    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

looking  northwards.  The  adjoining  room  in  the  north  wing  is  long  and 
narrow,  measuring  about  47  feet  by  10  feet  6  inches.  It  is  also  well  lighted, 
and  has  one  fireplace  in  the  south  end.  The  turret  stair  to  the  upper  floor 
and  attics  is  entered  both  from  the  hall  and  from  the  stair-landing.  The 
upper  floors  are  quite  ruinous  ;  they  were  divided  into  smaller  rooms 
entering  one  through  the  other. 

Some  ruinous  walls,  probably  of  outhouses,  are  traceable  at  various 
places  in  the  courtyard  (as  shown  on  Plan,  Fig.  437). 

The  castle  has  been  badly  abused ;  all  the  dressed  stones  in  the 
building,  such  as  those  round  doors  and  windows,  having  been  ruthlessly 
torn  out  (Fig.  439).  This  gives  the  structure  a  very  rugged,  gloomy 
appearance.  Above  the  entrance  doorway  three  panels  for  coats  of  arms 
still  remain  intact,  but  without  the  arms. 

In  Lands  and  their  Owners  Dunskey  is  said  to  have  been  built  by 
William  or  Ninian  Adair  in  the  early  years  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
And  "in  1508  one  Makkenzie  had  a  remission  for  'art  and  part  of  the 
fire-raising  and  of  burning  of  Dunskey.'  "  Symson,  in  his  History  of 
Galloway,  written  in  1648,  says  that  it  was  wholly  ruinous  then.  The 
present  structure  was  probably  rebuilt  after  the  above  destruction. 

The  Castle  of  Dunskey  or  Portree,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  referred 
to  in  the  Sheriffs  of  Galloway  under  date  1330,  seems  to  have  been  an 
earlier  structure  on  the  same  site. 


STRANRAER  CASTLE,  WIGTONSHIRE. 

This  is  a  conspicuous  object  in  distant  views  of  the  town,  and  is  seen 
rising  above  all  the  surrounding  houses.  These  hem  it  in  closely  on  all 
sides,  so  much  so  that  the  building  is  somewhat  difficult  to  get  at,  and  can 


Fio.  440.— Stranraer  Castle.     Plan  of  First  Floor. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    512    — 


STRANRAER   CASTLE 


only  be  seen  from  the  back  gardens  of  the  adjoining  houses.  As  will  be 
seen  from  Fig.  441,  the  castle  has  been  heightened,  probably  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  in  a  fantastic  but  picturesque  manner.  These  alterations 
took  place  when  the  structure  was  converted  into  the  town  jail.  The 
original  building  is  of  the  ordinary  type  of  the  castles  of  Galloway,  but 
of  greater  passive  strength  than  many.  It  is  nearly  square  on  plan  (Fig. 


Fio.  441. — Stranraer  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

440),  measuring  about  36  feet  by  29  feet  over  the  walls,  with  a  staircase 
turret  projecting  5  feet  at  the  north-west  corner,  which  is  carried  up 
to  the  top.  The  cellars  are  vaulted,  and  have  very  massive  walls. 
The  first  floor  is  also  vaulted.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  north  wall 
is  of  great  thickness,  and  contains  a  considerable  entresol  mural  chamber, 


CARSLEUTH    CASTLE  —    513    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

about  21  feet  long  by  6  feet  wide.  Leading  off  the  hall  itself  are  several 
smaller  mural  closets,  and  of  these  several  also  occur  on  the  other  floors. 

The  history  of  the  building  does  not  appear  to  have  been  investigated, 
and  almost  nothing  is  chronicled  regarding  it.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
called  "Chappel,"  and  to  have  been  the  residence  of  the  Kennedies  of 
Chappel. 

From  the  continuous  corbelling  of  the  parapet,  the  large  bead  on  the 
windows,  and  other  details,  it  is  probably  a  building  of  the  sixteenth 
century. 


CARSLEUTH  CASTLE,  KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 

This  structure  stands  on  the  sea  shore,  about  three  and  a  half  miles 
from  Creetown,  and  quite  close  to  the  public  road  which  runs  from  that 
town  to  Gatehouse. 

The  castle  is  low  lying,  and  is  in  no  way  remarkable  for  strategic  posi- 
tion. It  was  formerly,  however  (as  we  find  from  Lands  and  their  Owners), 
protected  by  "a  pond,"  which  covered  its  landward  front.  This  has 
now  been  filled  up,  and  converted  into  a  garden. 


Fio.  442.— Carsleuth  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

The  building  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  442),  with  the  doorway  in  the 
re-entering  angle  facing  the  east.  The  staircase  is  in  the  wing,  and  the 
usual  arrangements  in  houses  of  this  class  are  observed  in  the  interior, 
with  nothing  calling  for  very  special  remark.  The  windows  of  the  first 
floor  (Fig.  443)  have  good  projecting  bead  and  hollow  mouldings,  as  like- 
wise has  the  hall  fireplace.  There  is  a  garde-robe  in  the  north-west  angle 
of  the  hall,  and  a  stone  sink  in  the  south-west  angle,  with  a  drain 
through  the  west  wall. 

From  the  corbels  at  the  eaves  of  the  north  front,  which  are  of  an 
earlier  form  than  the  corbelling  of  the  east  side,  and  from  other  indica- 

2K 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   514   — 


CARSLEUTH    CASTLE 


tions,  it  would  seem  that  this  building  was  originally  a  simple  oblong,  and 
that  the  wing  has  been  a  subsequent  addition.  The  old  corbels  would 
support  the  original  parapet  wall,  now  removed.  The  original  staircase 
would  be  in  the  north-west  angle,  where  a  portion  of  the  circular  wall  for 
the  stair  is  still  observable  in  the  garde-robe  afterwards  formed. 


PIG.  443.—  Carsleuth  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

The  way  in  which  the  projecting  top  story  of  the  wing  runs  into  an 
old  window  recess,  and  the  manner  in  which  a  small  window  is  inserted 
in  the  same  recess,  distinctly  point  to  the  wing  being  an  after-thought, 
constructed  in  order  to  provide  the  more  handsome  staircase  to  the  first 
floor,  considered  requisite  in  later  times.  The  projecting  and  sloping 
stones  at  the  eaves  over  the  entrance  doorway  are  intended  to  serve  as  a 


PARK    HOUSE 


—  515  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


gutter  to  protect  the  doorway  from  rain.  The  upper  projecting  string- 
course of  the  wing  beneath  the  gable  is  moulded  with  a  late  bead  and 
hollow  moulding.  The  chimney-cope 
above  is  ornamented  with  a  grotesque 
crouching  figure. 

In  the  panel  over  the  doorway 
(Fig.  444)  are  the  arms  of  the  Brown 
family  (a  chevron  between  three 
fleurs-de-lis),  the  letter  B.,  and  a 
now  illegible  motto  on  a  round  fillet, 
with  the  date  1568  above. 

The  early  history  of  this  building 
given  in  Lands  and  their  Owners  is 
evidently  erroneous.  It  is  rightly 
said  to  have  belonged  to  a  family 
named  Brown,  "  who  were  settled  at 
and  resident  in  Carsleuth  in  the  four- 
teenth century,"  but  we  cannot  agree 
with  the  reason  given,  which  is  as  fol- 
lows: "This appears  from  the  armorial 
bearings  over  the  door,  with  the  date 
1364,  which  it  is  supposed  is  the  date 
of  settlement  on  the  land  (as  stated  by 
Tytler),  under  the  Act  of  Parliament 
at  Perth,  of  13th  January  of  that 
year,  by  which  many  followers  of 
Baliol  were  restored,  in  order  to  sup- 
port David  II.  against  his  rebellious 
subjects.  Underneath,  1581  is  also 
engraved,  which  probably  relates  to 
the  completion  of  the  building."  We 
did  not  observe  the  date  1581  be- 
neath, but  only  that  of  1568  above 
mentioned.  The  older  oblong  keep  is  probably  a  structure  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  while  the  wing  is  obviously  a  late  sixteenth-century  addition. 
The  edifice  as  it  now  stands  is  thus  a  structure  of  the  Fourth  Period. 


Fia.  444.— Carsleutli  Castle. 
Arms  over  Entrance  Doorway. 


PARK   HOUSE,  WlGTONSHIRE. 

An  old  mansion,  situated  on  lofty  ground  adjoining  the  village  of 
Glenluce,  with  a  view  northwards  towards  the  Abbey.  About  40  or  50 
yards  to  the  north  and  west,  and  at  a  greater  distance  towards  the  east,  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —   516   PARK    HOUSE 

ground  falls  very  rapidly,  while  towards  the  south  it  rises.     The  building 


FIG.  445.— Park  House.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  445),  and  has  a  very  lofty  and  striking  appearance, 
which  is  greatly  favoured  by  its  commanding  site,  and  by  contrast  with 


FIG.  446.— Park  House.    View  from  North-East. 


PARK    HOUSE 


—    517    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


the  formal,  low  two  storeyed  wings,  built  at  a  later  date  on  the  south  and 
north  sides  (Fig.  446).     The  building  measures  about  44  feet  6  inches 


BLlSSIT-BETHENAMEOFTHE-LQJlPTHiS 


VERKVASBLVIIT 


MARCH 


IQNET-MAK-DOVELHIS  SPOV5 


FIG.  447. — Park  House.    Inscription  over  Doorway. 

by  26  feet  9  inches,  or  about  39  feet  over  the  south-east  wing.      The 
entrance  door  is  in  the  re-entering  angle,  with  a  wide  scale  and  platt  stair 


Fio.  448.— Park  House.    View  from  South- West. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    518    — 


SORBIE    CASTLE 


in  the  wing.  A  passage  leads  to  the  kitchen,  which  is  situated  at  the 
north  end,  and  in  which  there  is  a  fine  fireplace,  measuring  about  13  feet 
by  7  feet,  provided  with  a  drain,  and  with  a  window  at  the  one  side. 
Entering  off  the  fireplace  is  a  closet,  measuring  about  5  feet  square, 
lighted  with  two  small  windows.  The  remainder  of  this  floor  is  occupied 
with  cellars,  and  is  all  vaulted.  The  upper  floors  contain  large  and  hand- 
some rooms,  with  panelled  walls,  and  are  intact,  the  place  being  still 
inhabited  by  workmen.  Over  the  doorway  is  the  following  inscription, 
which  is  fairly  legible  (see  Fig.  447) : — 

BLISSIT. BE. THE.  NAME. OF. THE.  LORD. THIS 

VERK.VAS.BEGVIT[.THE. — DAY.  OF.]  MARCH. 

15  90.  BE.  THOMAS.  HAY.  OF.  PARK.  AND 

IONET.MAK.DOVEL.HIS.SPOUS. 

The  staircase  wing  is  finished  with  crow-stepped  gables,  between  which 
and  the  main  roof  a  gutter  is  formed,  having  a  projecting  gargoyle  to  the 
exterior  ( Fig.  448),  an  arrangement  which  is  common  in  houses  of  this  period. 

Thomas  Hay's  father  was  the  first  of  the  name  in  Park.  He  is 
believed  to  have  been  either  a  younger  son  of  the  Hays  of  Dalgetty  in 
Aberdeenshire  or  of  the  Lochloy  branch  in  Nairnshire.  He  was 
appointed  Abbot  of  Glenluce  in  1559  by  Pius  iv.  Having  afterwards 
joined  the  Reformation  party,  he  is  said  to  have  married  a  daughter 
of  Kennedy  of  Bargany. 


FIG.  449.— Sorbie  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


SORBIE    CASTLE 


519    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


SORBIE   CASTLE,*  WIGTONSHIRK. 

A  ruin  situated  about  six  or  seven  miles  south  from  the  county  town. 
It  is  in  a  state  of  great  dilapidation,  and  is  entirely  uncared  for ;  but  it 
has  been  a  structure  of  considerable  consequence,  and  apparently  defended 
by  a  moat  or  artificial  mound.  It  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  449),  measuring 
on  the  two  longest  sides  about  4 1  feet  by  40  feet.  The  entrance  is  in  the 
re-entering  angle  in  the  wing,  which  also  contains  the  stair  (a  scale  and  platt 
one)  to  the  first  floor.  The  ground  floor,  which  is  vaulted,  contains  the  usual 


Fid.  450.-  Sorbie  Castle.    View. 

characteristic  arrangements  of  this  period — viz.,  a  passage,  from  which  the 
vaults  are  entered,  leading  to  the  kitchen,  which  occupies  the  full  width 
of  the  end  of  the  main  block.  The  kitchen,  in  the  gable,  is  furnished 
with  a  large  arched  fireplace,  which  measures  about  17  feet  by  5  feet,  and 
has  a  small  window  on  one  side,  with  a  recess  on  the  other.  The  kitchen 
measures  about  17  feet  by  8  feet,  and  is  well  lighted  by  a  window  on 
each  side.  The  various  partitions  on  the  ground  floor  are  greatly  broken 
down.  There  have  been  at  least  three  upper  floors,  approached  by  the 

*  The  Plan  of  this  castle  has  been  kindly  supplied  by  William  Galloway,  Esq., 
architect. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    520    — 


BARHOLM    CASTLE 


turret  stair  in  the  re-entering  angle  (Fig.  450),  but  they  are  now  very 
ruinous. 

The  lands  of  Sorbie  were  in  the  possession  of  the  Hannays  from  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  till  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth ; 
and  although  no  positive  information  appears  to  be  extant  as  to  the  date 
of  the  erection  of  the  castle,  it  may  confidently  be  set  down  to  the  middle 
of  the  Fourth  Period. 


BARHOLM  CASTLE,  KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 

A  mansion,  situated  a  little  inland  from  the  sea,  about  midway 
between  Gatehouse  and  Creetown.  It  is  a  small  structure  (Fig.  451)  of 
the  L  Plan,  with  the  usual  features  of  the  seventeenth-century  castles, 


FIG.  451.-  Barholm  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 


having  the  main  staircase  in  the  wing  up  to  the  second  story,  above  which 
a  turret  stair  leads  to  the  upper  floors  (Fig.  454).  The  lintels  of  two  of  the 
staircase  windows  are  peculiar,  and  are  shown  in  Sketch  (Fig.  452).  The 
design  of  the  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  453)  is  still  more  remarkable,  with  its 


FIG.  452.— Barholm  Castle. 
Lintels  of  Staircase  Windows. 


FIG.  453.— Barholm  Castle. 
Entrance  Doorway. 


EAULSTON    CASTLE 


—  521  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


cable  moulding  tied  in  a  knot  at  each  end,  and  the  masks  and  the  grotesque 
animal  introduced  in  the  arch  mouldings.  The  Castle  of  Carsleuth,  in  the 
same  neighbourhood,  has  likewise  some  grotesque  carving—  probably  the 
efforts  of  a  local  sculptor. 


Fio.  454. — Barholm  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  the  floor  above,  which  is  the  one 
shown  in  the  Plan,  contains  only  one  room,  with  a  fireplace  in  the  side 
wall.  This  apartment  measures  about  28  feet  by  16  feet.  Barholm 
was  in  the  possession  of  the  M'Culloch  family  from  early  in  the  sixteenth 
century. 


EARLSTON  CASTLE,  KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 

This  building,  situated  in  an  upland  district  between  Dairy  and 
Carsphairn,  stands  in  a  little  hollow,  and  is  not  visible  from  any  distance. 
It  is  now  in  a  sadly  ruinous  state,  but  in  its  day  it  has  been  a  small  mansion- 
house  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  455),  which  some  later  additions  converted  into 
a  house  with  a  courtyard.  The  entrance  is  in  the  re-entering  angle,  and  leads 
directly  to  the  staircase,  which  is  situated  in  the  south  wing.  This  principal 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    522    — 


EARLSTON    CASTLE 


stair  terminates  at  the  first  floor,  from  whence  a  wheel-stair  in  the  angle 
turret  (Fig.  456)  led  upwards,  thus  allowing  rooms  to  be  introduced  in  the 
upper  floors  of  the  wing.  The  ground  floor  contains  two  apartments,  and 
is  vaulted.  The  upper  floors,  which  are  in  a  dangerous  state,  have  been 
finished  in  a  style  of  unusual  elegance.  The  woodwork  of  the  panelling  of 
the  walls,  fireplaces,  and  cornices,  although  on  a  small  scale,  has  been 
very  fine,  the  details,  which  are  of  a  Renaissance  character,  being  wrought 
with  great  delicacy.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  this  work  has  been  allowed 
to  fall  into  such  a  state  of  decay,  and  that  within  recent  years,  as  people 
not  yet  old,  who  were  born  in  the  house,  remember  it  in  perfect  preserva- 
tion. The  additions  on  the  east  side  were  connected  with  the  tower  by 
doorways  slapped  through  the  walls.  They  are  now  roofless,  and  the  walls 
are  mostly  all  knocked  down.  The  kitchen  was  in  this  part  of  the  building. 


FIG.  455.— Earlstou  Castle.     Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

The  well  is  situated  at  the  south-east  side  of  the  courtyard.  At  present  a 
small  stream  runs  into  the  well.  The  windows  of  the  main  building  have 
back  fillets,  with  bead  mouldings  round  them.  These  and  the  other  details 
show  that  the  structure  is  of  very  late  date. 

From  Lands  and  their  Owners  we  learn  that  Earlston  belonged  in  the 
sixteenth  century  to  a  family  of  Sinclairs,  supposed  to  be  from  Berwick- 
shire. Notices  of  them  in  connection  with  this  place  are  to  be  found 
from  the  middle  of  that  century,  and  they  are  believed  to  have  built  the 
original  tower,  on  which  their  arms  once  existed  over  the  doorway.  In 
1615  Alexander  Gordon  of  Airds  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  John 
Sinclair,  and  with  her  obtained  the  estate,  after  which  it  became  the 
residence  of  the  Gordons. 

The  east  wing  was  built  by  William  Gordon,  who  married  Mary  Hope, 


BARSCOBE    HOUSE 


—   523   — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


second  daughter  of  Sir  John  Hope  of  Craigiehall,  President  of  the  Court 
of  Session.  A  wedge-shaped  stone  in  the  front  wall  of  the  east  wing, 
pierced  by  a  round  hole,  contains  their  initials,  with  the  date  1655  (see 
Fig.  456). 


PIG.  456.—  Earlston  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

William  Gordon  was  educated  for  the  Church,  but  he  took  to  soldiering 
under  David  Leslie  and  Lord  Glencairn,  and  was  ultimately  killed  at 
Both  well  Brig.  After  this  Earlston  was  garrisoned  by  troops  engaged  in 
suppressing  the  Covenanters. 


BARSCOBE  HOUSE,  KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE. 


Situated    about    three   miles   north-east   from   New   Galloway,    this 
is    an    interesting    example   of    the    kind    of    house   which    gradually 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   524    — 


BAKSCOBE    HOUSE 


evolved  itself  out  of  the  old  pele  tower  towards  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  shows  the  extent  of  the  accommodation  which  was 


FIG.  457.—  Barscube  House.    View  from  South-East. 

then  considered  sufficient  for  a  country  laird  (Fig.  457).  It  is  L-shaped 
on  plan,  and  shows  almost  no  deviation  from  the  arrangements  of  the 
earlier  structures  of  this  pattern,  the  door 
being  in  the  re-entering  angle  and  the  stair 
in  the  wing.  The  elevation,  however,  shows 
a  few  changes  from  the  old  design.  The 
gables  are  no  longer  finished  with  simple 
crow-steps,  but  with  a  novel  and  ornamental 
form  of  skews.  The  parapet  has  entirely 
disappeared,  and  the  dormers  have  become 
simple  attic  windows  in  the  roof  (Fig.  458). 
This  place  belonged  to  the  Maclellans  of 
Bomby,  once  an  important  family  in  Gal- 
loway; and  the  house  appears  to  have  been 
built  by  William  Maclellan,  whose  initials, 

With   those   of   his   wife,  together  with   their    Fia  ^S.-Barscobe  House.    Dormer. 

arms  and  the  date  1648,  occur  over  the  doorway,  and  are  shown  in  Fig. 


GOGAR  HOUSE 


—  525  — 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


459.     His  wife  was  a  Gordon ;  but  whether  she  was  Mary,  daughter  of 

Sir  Robert  Gordon  of  Lochinvar,  or  Margaret,  daughter 

of   John   Gordon   of   Airds,    is   not   known.      William 

Gordon  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Robert  in  1664.     He 

took  a  prominent  part  in  the  cause  of  the  Covenanters. 

In  1799  the  lands  passed  out  of  the  possession  of  the 

Maclellans ;  but  their  house  is  still  inhabited,  and,  with 

ordinary   care,   may  last   for  centuries  to  come.      The 

initials   W.  M.  G.   and   the   date   are   repeated  on   the 

tympanum  of  the  dormer  windows  (see  Fig.  458). 


FIG.  459. — Barscobe  House. 
Anns  over  Doorway. 


GOGAR  HOUSE,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

A  well-preserved  mansion,  exhibiting  some  of  the  modifications  of  the 
traditional  plan  which  were  adopted  in  the  later  buildings  of  the  Fourth 
Period.  Thus,  although  the  Plan  (Fig.  460)  may  be  regarded  as  founded  on 


Fio.  460.— Gogar  House.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

the  L  form,  with  entrance  door  and  staircase  turret  in  the  re-entering  angle, 
the  notch  cut  out  of  the  north-east  angle,  and  the  large  round  tower  adjoin- 
ing, are  deviations  from  the  usual  arrangement ;  otherwise,  the  accom- 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    526    — 


GOGAR    HOUSE 


GOGAR  HOUSE 


—  527  — 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


' 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —    528    —  INCH    HOUSE 

modation  is  as  usual.  On  the  ground  floor  the  kitchen,  with  large  chimney, 
occupied  the  north-west  block,  and  the  cellars  (one  of  which  had  the  usual 
private  stair  communicating  with  the  private  room  in  the  tower)  occupied  the 
south-east  block.  On  the  first  floor,  the  hall  or  dining-room  (40  feet  by  1 9 
feet)  was  situated  in  the  south-east  block,  and  the  drawing-room  (24  feet  by 
19  feet)  in  the  north-west  block.  The  former  had  a  small  private  room  off 
it  in  the  round  tower,  and  a  private  staircase  in  the  south-east  angle  turret 
led  to  the  family  bedroom  above.  The  interior  of  the  principal  rooms  has 
now  been  somewhat  modified  by  the  alterations  shown  in  hatched  lines. 
The  bow  window  looking  to  the  north  (Fig.  461)  is  also  modern.  The 
elevations  are  little  changed,  and  present  an  excellent  example  of  a 
Scottish  manor  house  of  the  time  of  King  James  vi.  The  entrance  front 
(Fig.  462),  with  its  octagonal  tower  corbelled  out  in  a  very  peculiar 
manner,  and  its  quaint  dormers,  is  particularly  striking.  One  of  the 
latter  contains  the  monogram  of  the  initials  I.  C.  and  H.  S.,  which  are 
found  singly  in  the  dormers  of  the  north  and  east  fronts,  together  with 
the  date  1626. 

The  lands  of  Gogar  were  purchased  in  the  sixteenth  century  from 
Robert  Logan  of  Restalrig,  to  whom  they  then  belonged,  by  Adam  Cowper, 
one  of  the  Clerks  of  Session,  whose  title  was  ratified  in  1601.  The  house 
was  built  by  his  son  John,  whose  initials,  with  those  of  his  wife,  are  carved, 
as  above  mentioned,  in  various  places  on  the  building.  During  the 
eighteenth  century  the  estate  was  in  the  hands  of  the  family  of  Myreton, 
by  whom  the  handsome  wrought-iron  gates,  which  still  hang  in  the  gate- 
way at  the  entrance  to  the  avenue,  were  probably  erected. 


INCH  HOUSE,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

A  mansion  situated  just  beyond  the  southern  suburbs  of  Edinburgh. 
The  house  occupies  a  low-lying  situation,  the  park  surrounding  it  having 
at  an  earlier  period  been  covered  with  water,  above  which  the  site  of  the 
house  stood  as  an  island  or  inch.  Before  a  system  of  drainage  was  per- 
fected, and  even  down  to  1760,  according  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  White,  in  Yol.  I. 
of  the  Transactions  of  the  Antiquarian  Society,  the  floods  surrounding 
the  inch  caused  considerable  inconvenience.  In  ancient  times,  entrance 
was  effected  by  means  of  a  drawbridge.  The  building  has  had  various 
additions  made  to  it.  The  oldest  part  is  tinted  black  on  the  Plan 
(Fig.  463).  The  next  part,  lying  on  the  north-east,  is  shown  cross- 
hatched.  Then  follow  the  outbuildings,  having  an  entrance  archway  and 
the  north  range,  and  lastly,  an  incongruous  modern  house  has  been  added 
to  the  old  mansion. 

The  original  structure  is  of  the  L  Plan,  measuring  about  50  feet  from 
north  to  south,  by  55  feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west,  with  a  square  tower 


INCH    HOUSK 


—  529  -- 


FOURTH    PBKI01) 


in  the  re-entering  angle  containing  the  staircase,  and  the  original  entrance 
doorway  (shown  enlarged  in  Fig.  464)  having  wide  moulded  jambs,  and  a 
pediment  bearing  the  date  of  erection,  1617.  The  staircase  gives  access  to 
the  three  upper  floors,  above  which  a  turret  stair  (see  Fig.  464),  projecting 
in  the  south-east  angle  of  the  tower,  leads  to  the  top,  from  which  a  good 
view  of  the  surrounding  country  is  obtained,  including  such  castles  as 
Edinburgh,  Craigmillar,  Liberton,  and  Merchistou.  "  But  the  design  of 


FIG.  463.— Inch  House.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


it,"  says  Mr.  White,  "was  not  solely  for  a  prospect,  but  to  enable  the 
proprietor  to  defend  himself  more  effectually,  and  ward  off"  the  assaults 
of  his  enemies."  The  ground  floor  of  the  ancient  part  is  vaulted,  and 
contains  a  kitchen  and  cellars,  in  which  various  partitions  have  been 
erected,  and  doors  slapped  out  and  built  up  as  required  at  different  times. 
The  second  building — viz.,  the  low  wing  on  the  north-east,  cross-hatched 
on  Plan — was  built  seventeen  years  later  than  the  main  building,  being 
dated  1634  (see  Fig.  464).  It  is  two  stories  high,  with  a  separate  stair 

2  L 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    530 


INCH    HOUSE 


to  the  upper  floor.      When  first  erected,  it  entered  directly  from  the 
courtyard,  but  it  is  now  connected  by  a  lobby  with  the  old  entrance  door- 


DCRMER  WINDOW 
OF   WING 


DORMER  ON  WING 


ENTRANCE  DOORWAY 


Fid.  464. — Inch  House.    View  from  North-West. 


way.     The  buildings  on  the  north  side  were  erected  at  a  later  period,  and 
contain  office  and  servants'  accommodation. 


BAVELAW   CASTLE  531    —  FOURTH    PERIOD 

Inch  House  has  a  considerable  resemblance  to  Gogar  House,  just 
described,  which  is  about  six  miles  distant,  the  details  of  the  corbelling  of 
the  square  tower  being  the  same  in  both,  and  the  dormer  windows  (see 
Fig.  464)  being  also  very  similar  in  design.  They  are  both  likewise 
on  the  L  Plan,  with  a  tower  in  the  re-entering  angle,  and  they  were  built 
within  a  few  years  of  each  other,  the  date  of  Gogar  being  1625. 

The  mansion  of  Inch  was  built  by  a  family  of  the  name  of  Winram, 
who  carried  as  arms — gules,  a  ram  passant,  argent.  The  gablets  of  the 
three  dormer  windows  facing  the  court  (Fig.  464  shows  two  of  these 
windows)  bear  the  following  letters : — the  northmost  one  has  the  initials 
I.  W.,  probably  for  John  Winram;  and  the  southmost  bears  I.  S.,  probably 
for  his  wife ;  while  on  the  centre  are  the  combined  letters  I.  W.  S. ,  with  the 
date  1634.  On  one  of  the  dormers  of  the  main  building,  erected  seventeen 
years  earlier,  there  is  carved  on  a  shield  a  serpent  twisting  round  an  upright 
arrow,  with  the  explanatory  motto,  Festina  lente — "  Use  despatch,  but 
cautiously."  Besides  these  details,  some  old  internal  features  still  exist, 
such  as  doors,  and  a  fine  example  of  a  closing  shutter  for  the  lower  part  of 
a  window  instead  of  glass,  with  a  carved  transome.  The  Winrams  had 
considerable  possessions  in  Liberton  parish,  from  which  they  have  now  quite 
disappeared.  They  were  succeeded  by  the  ancestors  of  the  present  pro- 
prietor, R.  Gordon  Gilmour,  Esq.  of  Craigmillar,  whose  predecessors  left 
the  latter  castle  to  reside  at  the  Inch.  From  a  statement  made  by  Mr. 
White  (p.  334),  we  infer  that  during  his  time  the  place  must  have  fallen 
into  disrepair,  for  he  says,  "  Were  it  kept  in  good  order,  it  is  far  from 
being  inconsiderable." 


BAVELAW  CASTLE. 

This  house  occupies  a  lofty  situation  on  the  northern  slope  of  the 
Pentland  Hills,  about  nine  miles  west  from  Edinburgh.  It  evidently  dates 
from  the  seventeenth  century.  The  farmer  who  lives  in  it  states  that 
it  was  in  a  state  of  ruin  about  the  beginning  of  this  century,  when  it  was 
in  a  great  measure  rebuilt.  There  can,  however,  be  no  doubt  but  that  the 
house  belongs  substantially  to  the  period  above  named. 

It  is  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  467),  with  a  small  additional  wing  at  the 
south-east  angle.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  in  the  main  portion 
of  the  house  is  the  kitchen,  with  a  fine  arched  fireplace  and  window 
adjoining.  The  entrance  is  from  the  east  side  into  the  wheel-staircase,  the 
space  for  which  is  taken  out  of  the  room  in  the  north  wing.  From  the 
entrance  passage  doors  with  splayed  rybats  lead  into  the  kitcheil  and  the 
north  wing,  and  a  similar  door  formerly  led  by  a  passage  (now  thrown  into 
the  kitchen)  to  the  south  tower.  A  similar  arrangement  continues  to  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    532   — 


BAVELAW    CASTLE 


BONHARD 


—  533  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


top  of  the  house.     The  elevations  (Figs.  465  and  466)  are  characteristic  of 
a  Scottish  house  of  a  late  date. 


GROUND     FLOOR 


FIRST     FLOOR 


PIG.  467. — Bavelaw  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

In  noticing  this  place  in  the  Caledonia,  Chalmers  mentions  that  "it  is 
said  to  have  been  a  hunting-seat  of  the  James's." 


BONHARD,    LlNLITHGOWSHIRE. 

The  old  house  of  Bonhard  stands  about  two  miles  north  from 
Linlithgow,  on  the  rising  ground  which  separates  the  Linlithgow  valley 
from  the  Frith  of  Forth. 

Notwithstanding  the  old-world  air  about  the  house,  it  is  quite  modern 
in  its  arrangements,  and  retains  none  of  the  defensive  features  which 
frequently  prevailed  till  a  late  period  in  Scotland.  The  walls  are  about 
3  feet  thick,  and  the  rooms  are  provided  with  fairly  large  windows.  Tho 
house  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  468),  with  an  octagonal  staircase  turret  in  the 
re-entering  angle,  in  which  also  is  the  original  entrance  (Fig.  469).  Tho 
present  entrance  door  in  the  south  front  is  an  alteration,  being  merely  an 
old  window  opened  out  to  form  a  door.  The  kitchen  is  in  the  north  wing, 
but  has  long  been  disused,  and  is  now  shut  up.  The  other  portions  of  tlu 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    534    — 


BONHARD 


house  on  the  ground  floor  and  first  floor  are  used  by  the  families  of  farm 
labourers,  while  the  top  floor  and  attics  are  closed.  From  the  entrance  door 
a  small  lobby  led  into  the  kitchen,  and  another  small  passage  gave  access 
to  the  dining-room  at  the  south-west  angle,  to  a  small  central  room  (now  a 
lobby),  and  to  the  south-east  room.  The  first  of  these  apartments  was 
called,  as  we  find  from  an  inventory  of  furniture,  the  "  Laigh  Dineing- 
room."  Between  it  and  the  kitchen  there  is  a  kind  of  service  room,  which 
probably  was  provided  with  a  service  window  into  the  kitchen.  This  ser- 
vice room  had  a  door  leading  out  to  the  old  garden  on  the  west  side  of  the 
house.  The  south-east  room  was  probably  a  private  room. 

The  first  floor  is  divided  into  three  handsome  rooms  with  finely  panelled 
ceilings,  each  of  a  different  design,  and  ornamental  fireplaces  with  stone 
and  wooden  mouldings,  and  pilastered  panel  above  the  mantelpiece  (Fig. 


PIG.  468.— Bonhard.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


470).  These  finishings,  together  with  the  wooden  panelling  of  the  walls, 
impart  to  the  house  an  air  of  antique  refinement,  which  is  frequently 
wanting  in  the  interior  of  many  of  our  old  mansions. 

To  the  east  of  the  house  stands  an  old  dovecot,  in  the  western  gable  of 
which  is  inserted  a  stone  panel  (Fig.  471),  containing  all  the  lettered  and 
heraldic  history  now  to  be  found  at  Bonhard  of  the  old  family  of  Cornwall, 
proprietors  of  the  place  for  many  generations.  Not  much  can  be  made 
out  from  it  at  first  sight,  but  on  careful  examination  the  Cornwall  arms, 
impaled  with  the  arms  of  a  branch  of  the  Seaton  family,  can  be  satis- 
factorily traced,  above  which  is  the  motto  "WE.  BEIG.  ZE.  SE.VARLE" 
(we  build  ye  see  warily),  with  the  date  1591  and  the  initials  N.  C. 
and  M.  S. 

The    late    Mr.    Stodart,    in     Miscellanea    Genealog.ica    et    Heraldica, 


BONHABD 


—  C33  _ 


FOURTH    PEHIOD 


\. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


536   — 


BONHARD 


1877,  identified  the  N.  C.  as  the  initials  of  Nicholas  Cornwall ;  and 
knowing  that  he  had  a  second  wife  named  Margaret  Stewart,  Mr.  Stodart 
concluded  that  the  second  initials  were  hers ;  and  the  impaled  arms  being 
somewhat  worn,  he  believed  them  to  be  those  of  Stewart.  The  only 
explanation  that  suggests  itself  is  that  Nicholas  was  thrice  married,  and 
that  his  third  wife  was  a  Seaton.  His  first  wife  was  Agnes  Halkheid. 

Nicholas  Cornwall  succeeded  in  1578  ;  and  we  find  from  his  tombstone 
in  Linlithgow  that  he  died  in  1607,  aged  seventy  years.  This  house  con- 
tinued to  be  the  residence  of  the  family  till  after  the  middle  of  the  last 


FIG.  •i'lO.— Bonhard.    Room  on  First  Floor. 

century  ;  and  by  the  end  of  the  century  the  house  and  lands  passed  out  of 
the  possession  of  the  Cornwalls. 

Peter  Cornwall,  the  father  of  Nicholas,  built  a  town  house  in 
Linlithgow  in  1527,  and  was  the  first  to  assume  the  above  arms.  That 
house  was  taken  down  in  1870,  and  the  drawing  (Fig.  472)  shows  a  stone 
taken  from  the  house,  containing  the  date,  the  motto  of  the  Cornwalls;  and 
a  matrix  for  a  metal  plate.  The  metal  plate,  which  contained  the  arms, 
crumbled  away  on  being  touched.  Waldie,  in  his  History  of  Linlithgow, 
mentions  (and  it  is  interesting  to  know  this  in  connection  with  Bonhard) 
that  the  town  house  had  fine  plaster  ceilings  of  the  time  of  Charles  I. 
and  ii.  He  also  states  that  on  one  of  them  there  was  a  head  of  Alexander, 


HERBERTSHIRE    CASTLE 


—  537  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


who,  he  maintains,  was  "the  hero  of  the  family  who  fell  at  Flodden." 
It  was  more  likely  the  hero  of  antiquity,  as  the  Cornwall  who  fell  at 
Flodden  was  named  John.  Portrait-heads  of  Alexander  the  Great  and 


tEIf 


WE 

ZE-SE-Vflafcl 

^*xr«.\  _>^\ 

m 

R 


FIG.  471.— Bonhard. 
Arms  on  Dovecot. 


Fio.  472.- Bonhard. 
Panel  from  House  in  Liulithgow. 


other  ancient  worthies  are  of  frequent  occurrence  amongst  the  enrichments 
of  plastered  and  painted  ceilings — as,  for  instance,  at  Merchiston  Castle, 
where  both  Alexander  and  King  David  with  his  harp  occur. 


HERBERTSHIRE  CASTLE,  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

A  large  and  lofty  keep,  situated  near  the  village  of  Denny,  in  a  park 
studded  with  ancient  trees,  overlooking  the  River  Carron.  It  is  of  the 
first  class  as  regards  size,  but  it  has  been  dread- 
fully knocked  about  and  added  to  in  the  "  castel- 
lated "  and  other  styles,  to  the  great  detriment  of 
its  appearance  and  interest.  The  structure  is  of 
the  L  Plan  (Fig.  473),  and  measures  63  feet 
6  inches  from  north  to  south  by  43  feet  8  inches 
from  east  to  west,  and  the  small  limb  of  the 
L  measures  from  east  to  west  26  feet  2  inches. 
Being  now  used  as  a  school,  the  interior  of  the 
building  has  been  greatly  modernised. 

The  View  of  the  upper  part  of  the  castle  from 
the  east  side  (Fig.  474),  as  seen  rising  over  the 

„  ./  . 

confused  modern  buildings,  is  after  the  ordinary 

traditions   of   the   Scottish   castellated   style.      The   parapet  walk  with 


473.-Herbertshire  Castle. 

Block  Plan. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  538 


NEWBYRES   TOWER 


angle  turrets,  and  the  massive  chimney  gable  of  the  southern  part  of 
the  sloping   roof,   with  dormer  window  adjoining,   and   the   turret  and 


FIG.  474.— Herbertshire  Castle.    View  from  East. 


parapet  resumed  along  the  north  side,  make  altogether  a  very  effective 
composition. 


NEWBYRES  TOWER,*  MIDLOTHIAN. 

This  ruinous  tower  stands  at  the  back  of  the  village  of  Gorebridge, 
about  ten  miles  south-east  from  Edinburgh.  Since  the  Sketch  (Fig.  475) 
was  made  in  1877,  showing  the  structure  as  it  then  was,  a  large  portion  of 
the  projecting  tower  with  the  staircase  fell  in  February  1881. 

*  We  are  indebted  for  the  Ground  Floor  Plan,  the  Sketch  of  the  ruins  from  the 
south-west,  and  the  historical  notes,  to  Robert  Dundas,  Esq.  of  Arniston  ;  while 
the  Upper  Floor  Plan  and  the  restored  View  are  taken  from  sketches  by  Walter  F. 
Lyon,  Esq.,  published  in  the  Building  News,  22nd  August  1879. 


NKWBYRES    TOW  Kit 


—    539    — 


FOURTH    PKRIOD 


Newbyres  is  a  very  plain  edifice  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  476).  It  is  32  feet 
8  inches  long  by  24  feet  2  inches  wide,  with  a  staircase  wing  at  the  north-west 
corner  projecting  5  feet  7  inches  beyond  the  main  building.  It  possesses 
no  special  peculiarity  of  plan.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  at  the 


Fio.  475.—  Newbyres  Tower.   View  from  South-West. 


FIG.  476. — Newbyres  Tower.    Plans. 


south  end  of  the  first  floor  a  large  stone  drain  opens  to  the  outside.  On  the 
upper  floors  there  are  several  gunholes  and  wall-chambers.  The  restored 
View  (Fig.  477)  shows  how  picturesque  this  structure  was.  The  South- 
East  View  (Fig.  478)  is  plainer,  but  better  preserved. 


FIG.  477.— Newbyres  Tower.    Restored  View  from  South- West. 

This  tower  seems  to  belong  to  the  early  part  of  the  Fourth 
Period. 

The  lands  of  Newbyres  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Newbattle.  In  1543, 
with  consent  of  Queen  Mary,  patroness  of  the  abbey,  they  were  granted 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   540   — 


COLINTON   CASTLE 


to  Michael  Borthwick  of  Glengelt  by  James,  abbot  of  the  monastery  of 
Newbattle.  From  a  shield  with  the  Borthwick  arms  carved  upon  the 
tower,  it  would  appear  to  have  been  built  by  Michael  Borthwick. 


Fiu.  478.— Newbyres  Tower.    View  from  South-Eost. 

In  1624  Newbyres,  with  its  tower,  was  sold  to  Sir  James  Dundas  of 
Arniston.  In  1646  the  tower  was  used  as  the  jointure  house  of  the 
Arniston  family ;  since  which  time  it  seems  to  have  shared  the  fate  of 
many  old  pele  towers,  and  to  have  fallen  into  decay. 


COLINTON  CASTLE,  MIDLOTHIAN. 

This  ruin  is  situated  within  the  grounds  of  Colinton  House.     It  is 
so  closely  environed  with  trees  as  to  be  hardly  visible  till  the  spectator 


COLINTON    CASTLE  -    541    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

stands  beside  it.  It  is  a  structure  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  479),  with  certain 
peculiarities,  such  as  the  lofty  projecting  tower  of  the  south  front,  the 
relation  of  the  stairs  to  each  other,  with  the  small  hall  or  lobby 
between  them.  The  castle  measures  74  feet  6  inches  from  east  to 
west  by  48  feet  from  north  to  south.  The  entrance  is  in  the  pro- 
jecting staircase  tower  on  the  south  front,  by  a  handsome  moulded 
doorway  placed  to  one  side  of  the  centre  of  the  tower.  On  the  left 
hand  a  passage  leads  to  three  lofty  cellars ;  in  front  of  the  entrance 
a  door  leads  into  the  hall  or  lobby,  from  which  the  east  cellar,  back 
stair,  and  kitchen  are  reached.  The  front  stair  in  the  tower  terminates 
at  the  first  floor  in  a  square  landing  lighted  with  the  large  double 
window  shown  on  the  View  (Fig.  480).  The  ceiling  of  the  staircase  over 
the  level  of  this  window  is  ruinous,  but  the  south  half,  which  remains, 


FIG.  479.— Colinton  Castle.     Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

consists  of  a  flat  stone  arch  of  about  11  feet  long  by  6  feet  broad.  The 
interior  walls  of  the  first  floor  are  demolished.  The  back  stair,  situated  in 
the  re-entering  angle,  gave  access  to  the  four  upper  floors,  which  are,  as 
just  mentioned,  in  a  state  of  great  ruin  ;  but  the  walls  of  the  back 
staircase  and  parts  of  the  north  and  west  walls  adjoining  still  exist  to  a 
height  of  about  four  stories.  The  hall  on  the  first  floor  probably  occupied 
the  west  part  of  the  main  wing,  and  would  be  about  42  feet  long  by 
about  19  feet  wide  ;  its  fireplace  was  in  the  south  wall. 

The  date  of  the  erection  of  the  castle  is  not  known ;  the  panel  over 
the  entrance,  which  probably  contained  the  date  and  arms,  is  gone. 
The  lands  belonged  to  the  Foulis  family,  and  in  1609  Sir  James  Foulis 
of  Colinton  was  served  heir  to  his  father  in  Colinton,  and '  this  is 
probably  about  the  date  of  its  erection.  The  present  modern  house, 
quite  near  to  the  ruins,  was  built  about  the  beginning  of  this  or  the 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  542  — 


OREENKNOWE    CASTLE 


Fro.  480.— Colinton  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

end  of  last  century,  about  which  time  we  suppose  the  old  castle  was 
abandoned. 


GREENKNOWE  CASTLE,  BERWICKSHIRE. 


A  well-preserved  ruin  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  481),  about  three-quarters  of 
a  mile  north-west  from  West  Gordon.  It  consists  of  a  main  building  25 
feet  long  by  33  feet  wide,  with  walls  4  feet  thick,  and  a  wing  at  the  north- 
east angle  containing  the  entrance  doorway  (still  furnished  with  its  iron 
yett)  and  the  staircase  to  the  first  floor.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted  (see 
Section,  Fig.  481),  and  included  the  kitchen,  with  its  large  arched  fireplace. 
The  first  floor  contained  the  hall  (25  feet  by  16  feet),  with  windows  on  three 
sides  and  two  small  closets,  inserted,  as  often  happens,  on  each  side  of  the 
large  chimney,  which  ascends  from  the  kitchen  in  a  wall  thickened  to  con- 
tain it.  The  hall  fireplace  (see  Fig.  481),  which  is  somewhat  ornamental,  is 
on  the  east  side.  From  this  level  the  usual  turret  stair  in  the  re-entering 
angle  leads  to  the  three  upper  floors,  and  gives  access  to  the  rooms  both  in 
the  main  block  and  the  wing  (Fig.  482).  The  gables  are  finished,  in  the 
usual  manner,  with  crow -steps,  and  the  corners  have  corbelled  angle 
turrets. 


OREENKNOWE   CASTLE 


—   543    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


a 


KjL 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    544    — 


GREENKNOWE    CASTLE 


This  mansion  belonged  in  the  seventeenth  century  to  Walter  Pringle 
(a  zealous  Covenanter  and  an  author),  having  passed  by  purchase  from  the 


Fio.  482.-— Greenkuowe  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

Setons  of  Touch,  by  whom  it  was  built,  to  the  Pringles  of  Stichel.     On 
the  lintel  of  the  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  483)  are  carved  two  shields,  with 


Fio.  483.—  Greenknowe  Castle.    Lintel  of  Entrance  Doorway. 

the  initials  J.  S.  and  I.  E.,  and  the  date  1581.     One  of  the  shields  contains 
the  arms  of  the  Setons  of  Touch — viz.,  first  and  fourth,  three  crescents;  and 


GREENKNOWE    CASTLE 

;r;'*«dr 


—  545  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


[f%fli;l? 
tfiaat  ~i 


2  M 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   546    — 


EVELAW    TOWER 


second  and  third,  three  scutcheons.  The  second  shield  bears  three  cres- 
cents, which  are  equally  the  arms  of  the  Setons  and  the  Edmonstones. 
The  Setons  acquired  the  property  by  marriage  with  the  heiress  of  Gordon 
of  that  ilk. 

The  tower  stands  on  a  small  knoll  (Fig.  484)  slightly  raised  above  the 
surrounding  ground,  which  is  level,  and  still  somewhat  marshy,  showing 
that  in  former  times  the  chief  defence  lay  in  the  surrounding  water  and 
marsh.  Indications  of  the  former  beauty  of  the  gardens  and  grounds  are 
still  observable  in  the  snowdrops  and  other  flowers  which  abound  in  the 
meadows,  and  the  fine  old  trees  which  bordered  the  ancient  avenues. 


EVELAW  TOWER,  BERWICKSHIRE. 


A  tolerably  well  preserved  though  ruinous  keep,  constructed  on 
the  L  Plan,  and  situated  on  the  high  ground  five  miles  north  of 
Greenlaw. 

The  main  block  (Fig.  485)  is  33  feet  long  by  22  feet  wide,  with  a  wing 
at  the  north-west  angle,  14  feet  6  inches  by  11  feet.  The  entrance  door  and 


A 


FIG.  485. — Evelaw  Tower.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

staircase  to  the  first  floor  were  in  the  wing,  and  a  corbelled  turret  stair  led 
to  the  upper  floors.  There  also  appear  to  have  been  turret  stairs  in  the 
south-east  and  south-west  angles,  leading  upwards  from  the  first  floor.  All 
the  external  angles,  both  of  the  main  building  and  the  wing,  are  rounded 
(Fig.  486).  There  has  been  a  parapet  round  the  wing  (Fig.  487),  the 
simple  small  corbels  of  which  remain,  as  also  do  those  at  the  eaves  of 


IIILLSLAP,  COLMSLIE,  LANGSHAW  —   547    


FOURTH    PERIOD 


the  roof  of  the  main  block,  but  they  are  not  returned  round  the  gables. 
The    ground   floor   is   pierced   with    shot-holes    with   square    ends,    and 


Pia.  486.--Evelaw  Tower.    South-But  View. 


FIG.  487. — Evelaw  Towev.    West  Elevation. 


the  windows  are  quite  simple.    This  tower  seems  to  date  from  early  in  the 
Fourth  Period. 


HILLSLAP  TOWER,  COLMSLIE,  AND  LANGSHAW,* 
ROXBURGHSHIRE. 

Hillslap  Tower  is  a  structure  (Fig.  488),  situated  near  the  head  of  the 
Fairy  or  Nameless  Glen,  through  which  flows  the  Allen  Water  to  its 
junction  with  the  Tweed,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  above  Melrose. 

This  is  supposed  by  Scott  to  have  been  the  scene  of  most  of  the 
imaginary  events  in  The  Monastery,  and  Hillslap  Tower  is  the  pro- 
totype of  "  Glendearg."  It  is  designed  on  the  L  Plan,  and  con- 
tains the  usual  arrangements,  the  entrance  door  being  in  the  re-entering 
angle,  and  the  principal  staircase  occupying  the  wing  as  high  as  the 
first  floor,  above  which  a  round  turret  stair  corbelled  out  in  the 
angle  conducts  to  the  upper  floors.  Of  these  there  were  two,  so 
that,  taking  into  account  the  space  in  the  main  block  and  the  rooms 
in  the  wing,  the  amount  of  bedroom  accommodation  in  the  tower  was 
considerable. 

The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  contained  shot-holes  with  wide  hori- 
zontal splays,  but  no  fireplace.  The  hall,  which  is  23  feet  by  15  feet, 
occupies  the  main  building  on  the  first  floor,  and  has  the  usual  large  fire- 
place, and  windows  on  every  side.  The  walls  are  about  4  feet  in  thickness. 
The  corbelling  of  the  angle  turret  (Fig.  489)  is  not  very  common,  being 

*  We  have  to  thank  Mr.  W.  Anderson  for  the  drawings  of  these  structures. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


548    HILLSLAP,  COLMSLIE,  LANGSHAW 


North  Elevation 


Weat  Elevation. 


Section 


Ground  Plan 


Rrst  Floor- Plan 

_J! ft, 


FIG.  488.— Hillslap  Tower.    Plans,  Elevations,  and  Section. 


HILLSLAP,  COLMSLIE,  LANGSHAW  549    


FOURTH    PERIOD 


supported  on  an  arch  thrown  diagonally  across  the  angle  above  the 
doorway.  The  lintel  of  the  latter  (Fig.  490)  contains  a  label  moulding, 
and  the  inscription  N.  C.  1585.  E.  L.  The  date  corresponds  with  the 
late  character  of  the  structure,  and  the  first  initials  are  those  of  one  of  the 
family  of  Cairncross,  to  whom  the  property  belonged.  The  same  Sketch 
shows  a  few  mouldings  from  the  building  in  detail. 


FIG.  489.— Hillslap  Tower.    View  from  North- East. 

At  the  head  of  the  same  glen,  and  almost  within  a  stone's-thraw  of  one 
another,  are  two  other  castles — Colmslie,  a  house  of  the  Borthwicks,  and 
Langshaw.  The  former  (Fig.  491)  is  an  ancient  oblong  keep  with  solid 
walls,  in  a  very  ruinous  condition  (Fig.  492) ;  and  the  latter  seems  to 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


550    HILLSLAP,  COLMSLIE,  LANGSHAW 


have  been  a  comparatively  modern  mansion  (Fig.  493),  but  both  are  now 
so  ruinous  as  to  present  no  features  of  architectural  interest.     Langshaw 


Inscription    on    Door  Lintel. 


4—4  —  f 


F—  *  —  f 


PIG.  490. — Hillslap  Tower.    Details  of  Doorway,  Fireplace,  Windows,  &c. 

is  a  house  of  the  L  Plan,  above  70  feet  long,  with  a  semi-circular  staircase 
projecting  from  the  centre  of  the  north  side. 


Fio.  491.—  Colmslie. 
Plan  of  Ground  Floor 


FIG.  492.-  Colmslie. 
View  from  South-East. 


BUCK  HOLM  CASTLK 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


Pio.  493.— Langshaw.    View  from  South-East. 


BUCKHOLM  CASTLE,*  SELKIRKSHIRE. 

An  old  mansion,  the  outer  walls  of  which  (Fig.  494)  exhibit  the  form  of 
a  Scottish  mansion  of  the  Fourth  Period,  with  the  staircase  tower  projecting 


Fio.  494.—  Buckholin  Castle.    Plan  of  Principal  Floor. 
*  The  Plan  and  View  are  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  W.  Anderson. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    552    — 


FRENCHLAND    TOWER 


at  one  angle.  But  the  structure  has  evidently  undergone  considerable 
alterations,  both  internally  and  externally.  A  modern  wing  has  been 
added  (Fig.  495),  and  a  new  roof  put  on  the  old  portion;  but  part  of 
the  old  wall  enclosing  the  courtyard,  and  the  gate  leading  into  it,  are  still 
preserved. 


FIG.  495.— Buckholm  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

Mr.  Craig  Brown  states  that  there  is  a  stone  at  Torwoodlee,  brought 
from  Buckholm  Tower,  dated  1582,  with  the  letters  I.  P.  and  N.  P., 
being  the  initials  of  the  Pringles,  the  proprietors. 


FRENCHLAND  TOWER,  DUMFRIESSHIRE. 

Originally  a  simple  keep,  this  building  has  been  extended  at  a  later 
time  into  a  mansion  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  496).  Some  of  the  corbels  of  the 
parapet  of  the  original  keep  have  been  left  in  the  north  gable  when  the  latter 
was  heightened  and  finished  with  crow-steps  (see  View).  The  door  of  the 
enlarged  structure  was  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  west  wing,  which  was 
added  in  order  to  contain  a  good  square  staircase  as  far  up  as  the  hall  and 
bedrooms  on  the  upper  floors.  The  old  keep  is  26  feet  8  inches  long  by  21 
feet  6  inches  wide,  and  the  walls  are  3  feet  6  inches  thick.  It  is  probably 
an  erection  of  the  sixteenth  century,  while  the  wing,  which  measures  15 
feet  8  inches  by  13  feet,  and  the  other  enlargements  have  been  added  in 
the  seventeenth  century. 


DRUMMKLZIER    CASTLE 


—    553    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Fir,.  49().—  Frenchland  Tower.    Plan  and  View  from  South- Wust. 

In  1610  Frenchland  belonged  to  Robert  Frenchie,  who  succeeded  his 
father  of  the  same  name  in  the  estate. 


DRUMMELZIER  CASTLE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

Of  this  mansion  of  the  Tweedies  of  Drummelzier,  situated  on  the  level 
ground  near  the  Tweed,  about  two  miles  from  Broughton,  only  the  angle 
tower  and  a  portion  of  the  main  building  now  exist.  It  appears  to  have 
been  a  structure  of  the  modified  L  Plan  (Fig.  497)  of  the  Fourth  Period, 


Pio.  497.—  Drummelzicr  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

in  which  the  wing  projects  so  as  to  flank  two  sides  of  the  main  building. 
The  door  is  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The  wing  is  vaulted  and  provided 
with  shot-holes,  and  each  window  is  also  furnished  with  a  shot-hole  under 
the  sill  (Fig.  498). 


FOUIITH    PKKIOD 


—    554    — 


CARDRONA    TOWER 


The  Tweedies  seem  to  have  obtained  Drummelzier  from  the  Frasers  by 
marriage   with  an  heiress  in   the  fourteenth   century.     They  were  well 


FIG.  498. — Drummelzier  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

known  in  the  sixteenth  century  as  a  powerful  and  turbulent  clan,  of  which 
Tweedie  of  Drummelzier  was  the  chief. 


CARDRONA  TOWER,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

A  small  L-shaped  building  (Fig.  499),  on  the  southern  steep  bank  of 
the  Tweed,  about  three  miles  below  Peebles. 

The  main  block  measures  22  feet  6  inches  by  29  feet,  with  walls  3  feet 
9  inches  thick.  It  has  suffered  considerably  from  violence,  and  is  now  a 
roofless  ruin.  The  ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  consists  of  one  apartment, 
25  feet  6  inches  by  14  feet  10  inches.  A  small  wing  at  the  north-west  angle 
contains  the  entrance  door  and  the  stair  to  the  first  floor.  There  is  a  large 
moulded  doorway  at  the  entrance  to  the  vaulted  room  from  the  passage, 
part  of  which  remains,  and  the  stair  to  the  first  floor  is  also  pretty  entire. 

The  first  floor  contains  one  large  room  or  hall,  26  feet  by  15  feet,  with 
four  windows  and  a  large  fireplace  in  the  wall  at  the  south  end. 

The  house  is  built  of  whinstone,  and  has  been  three  stories  high, 
probably  with  attics  in  the  roof,  but  only  about  one  story  now  survives. 

There  are  some  remains  and  traces  of  the  walls  of  a  courtyard  on  the 
side  next  the  hill.  Just  outside  the  courtyard,  on  the  same  side,  are 


IIAYSTOUN    HOUSE 


—  555  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


indications  of  a  pond,  which  would  be  useful   both  for  ornament   and 
defence. 


FIRST    FLOOR 


1                  1 

FIG.  499.— Cardrona  Tower.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

Cardrona  "was  anciently  the  seat  of  the  Go  vans,"  from  whom  in  1685 
it  passed  to  the  Williamsons,  distinguished  burgesses  of  Peebles.* 


HAYSTOUN  HOUSE,  PEEBLESSHIRE. 

An  early  seat  of  the  Hays  of  Haystoun  (descended  from  a  branch  of 
the  Yester  family).     It  is  situated  among  finely  wooded  grounds,  about 


Fio.  500.—  Haystoun  House.    Coat  of  Arms. 

one  and  a  half  miles  south  from  Peebles.     The  present  house  was  built  in 

1660.     The  family  prospered  as  lawyers  and  bankers  in  Edinburgh,  and 

*  Chambers's  Peeblesshire,  p.  393. 


FOURTH    PEUIOD 


—    556    — 


HAYSTOUN    HOUSE 


the  builder  of  this  mansion  was  probably  John  Hay,  advocate,  and  Prin- 
cipal Clerk  of  Session  at  above  date.* 


FIG.  501.— Haystoun  House. 


A  coat  of  arms  (Fig.  500)  inserted  over  the  entrance  door  seems  to 
have  been  brought  from  some  other  place  and  built  in  there.     It  appears 


FIG.  502. —Haystoun  House.    Coat  of  Arms. 


to  be  of  older  date  than  the  mouldings  round  the  doorway  (Fig.  501),  the 
date  on  the  lintel  of  which  is  1730.  Another  large  coat  of  arms  (Fig.  502) 
Chambers's  Peeblesshire,  p.  333. 


IIAYSTOUN    HOUSE 


557  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


has  been  placed  over  a  window  in  a  modern  stable  wing.  These  shields 
contain  the  dates  of  1660  on  the  former  and  1676  on  the  latter.  They  both 
carry  the  arms  of  the  Hays  of  Haystoun,  impaled  doubtless  with  those  of 
the  wives  of  the  proprietors  at  the  above  date.  That  of  1660  bears  the 
initials  ^  for  Master  John  Hay,  and  of  M.  D.  for  his  wife.*  The 


GROUND  FLOOR 


FIG.  503. — Haystoun  House.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

other   bears   the   Hay  arms,   impaled  with  those  of   Nicolson,  and  the 
initials  ^  and  I.  N.,  for  Master  John  Hay  and  his  wife, Nicolson. 

*  Mr.  Buchan,  Town  Clerk  of  Peebles,  suggests  from  the  arms  that  this  was 
Margaret  Durham. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


558  — 


ROSSEND   CASTLE 


ROSSEND    CASTLE 


559  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Whatever  the  history  of  these  large  and  carefully  carved  coats  of  arms 
may  be,  they  seem  to  have  been  imported  here,  as  they  are  not  applicable 
to  a  mansion  of  the  modest  dimensions  of  this  one. 

The  house  is  built  of  whinstone,  with  walls  3  feet  6  inches  thick.  It 
is  designed  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  503),  and  has  had  three  apartments  on 
each  of  its  two  floors  (one  room  being  vaulted),  with  a  staircase  to  the  right 
on  entering.  The  building  has  been  extended  so  as  to  provide  a  kitchen  (the 
large  fireplace  of  which  still  exists)  and  an  additional  room  on  the  first 
floor. 

Having  now  been  converted  into  farm  buildings,  the  internal 
arrangements  have  been  completely  changed. 


ROSSEND  CASTLE,  BURNTISLAND,  FIFESHIRE. 

This  ancient  castle,  now  the  hospitable  mansion  of  James  Shepherd, 
Esq.,  stands  on  a  lofty  and  precipitous  site  above  the  harbour  of 
Burntisland,  from  which  position  it  commands  a  splendid  view  over  the 
Frith  of  Forth,  with  Edinburgh  and  the  Pentland  Hills  visible  to  the  south. 


Fio.  505.— Rossend  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

The  edifice  is  said  to  be  of  remote  origin,  and  to  have  been' originally 
erected  by  Durie  of  Durie  in  1382.  It  subsequently  belonged  to  Kirkcaldy 
of  Grange,  and  was  occupied  by  Queen  Mary  in  1 563.  The  existing  structure 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —   560   —  ANSTRUTIIER   MANSE 

is,  however,  apparently  a  building  of  the  Fourth  Period,  although  probably 
portions  of  the  walls  are  of  older  date.  It  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  504), 
with  the  staircase  in  the  re-entering  angle.  On  the  ground  or  sunk 
floor,  which  is  partly  vaulted,  are  the  kitchen,  with  its  great  fireplace,  and 
the  usual  cellars.  The  first  floor  contains  the  hall,  or  dining-room,  26 
feet  by  17  feet,  attached  to  which  is  the  private  room  (now  called  Queen 
Mary's  Room).  The  greater  wing  of  the  L  contains  the  drawing-room, 
with  bedrooms  above.  The  walls  are  all  old,  and  contain  garde-robes  and 
chambers  in  their  thickness. 

A  somewhat  unusual  plan  is  adopted  in  the  case  of  the  small  wheel- 
stair  running  from  the  second  to  the  third  floor.  It  is  not  corbelled  out, 
as  generally  happens,  but  is  carried  up  in  the  thickness  of  the  great  wall, 
which  contains  the  kitchen  chimney. 

The  elevations  are  considerably  modernised,  but  a  portion  of  the  old 
work  is  visible  in  the  View  (Fig.  505)  from  the  south-east,  showing  the 
front  which"  overlooks  the  harbour. 


ANSTRUTHER  MANSE,  FIPESHIRE. 

This  interesting  house  (Fig.  506),  probably  the  most  ancient  clerical 
dwelling  of  its  style  in  the  country,  is  situated  in  a  quaint  old  garden 
surrounded  with  high  walls,  and  overlooking  the  town  of  Anstruther 
and  the  Frith  of  Forth.  It  was  a  building  originally  of  the  L  Plan 
(see  Fig.  506),  with  the  entrance  doorway  and  staircase  to  the  first 
floor  in  the  lesser  north-west  limb.  The  main  stair  stops  in  the  usual 
manner  at  the  first  floor,  the  upper  floors  being  reached  by  the  angle 
stair  turret  shown  in  Sketch.  The  staircase  tower,  on  which  is  the 
inscription,  "TiiE  WATCH  TOWER,"  must  have  had  a  much  loftier  appear- 
ance when  it  was  built  than  it  has  now,  as  the  roof  and  walls  of  the  main 
building  have  been  raised  from  their  original  height,  and  thus  encroach 
on  the  tower.  The  whole  ground  floor  is  vaulted.  The  upper  floors  and 
internal  arrangements  have  been  somewhat  modernised,  and  the 
building  lengthened  towards  the  north,  so  as  to  make  it  a  suitable 
residence  for  the  parish  minister.  A  low  moulded  parapet  wall  runs 
along  the  front  of  the  house,  forming  a  terrace  inside  and  a  ledge  for 
a  seat  facing  the  garden,  in  one  corner  of  which  there  is  a  dovecot. 

The  history  of  the  construction  of  the  manse  cannot  be  given  better  than 
in  the  words  of  its  builder,  Mr.  James  Melville,  minister  of  Anstruther. 
His  Diary  has  been  printed  by  the  Woodrow  Society  and  the  Bannatyne 
Club.  The  place  "  Kilrynnie  "  mentioned  in  the  following  extract  from 
the  Diary  was  the  old  name  of  Anstruther. 


ANSTRUTHER    MANSE 


—  561  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


EXTRACT  PROM  THE  DIARY  OF  MR.  JAMES  MELVILLE. 

"  Now  in  this  mean  tyme,  the  stipend  of  Kilrynnie  was  but  fourscore 
lib,  but  ather  gleib  or  manse,  but  God  moved  the  peiple's  hartes  to  haue  a 
cear  of  me,  and  mak  me  sufficient  securitie  of  four  hounder  markes  in 
stipend  ;  the  town  of  Anstrutlier  Eister  bund  for  the  twa  part,  and  the 
Gentlemen  to  Landwart  for  the  thride,  and  fordar  oblesit  tharnselues  to 
big  me  a  hous  vpon  a  piece  of  ground,  quhilk  the  Lard  of  Anstruther  gaiff 


Fio.  506.— Anstruther  Manse.    View  from  South-West. 

frielie  for  that  effect.  This  was  vndertakin  and  begoun  at  Witsoiiday  in 
an,  1590,  bot  wald  neuer  haiff  bein  perfyted  giff  the  bountifull  hand  of  my 
God  haid  nocht  maid  me  to  tak  the  wark  in  hand  myselff,  and  furnished 
stranglie  to  my  consideratioun  all  things  neidfull,  sa  that  neuer  ouk  past 
but  all  sort  of  workmen  was  weill  peyit,  never  a  dayes  intermission  fra 
the  beginning  to  the  compleitting  of  it,  and  never  a  soar  fingar  during  the 
haill  labour.  In  Junie  begoun,  and  in  the  monethe  of  Merch  efter  I  was 

2.B 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    562    — 


PITAIRTHIE    CASTLE 


resident  therin.  It  exceides  in  expences  the  sourn  of  thrie  thowsand  and 
fyve  bounder  markes,  and  of  all  I  haid  nought  of  the  paroche,  bot  about 
a  thrie  thowsand  steads  of  steanes,  and  fourtein  or  fyftein  chalder  of  lyme; 
the  steanes  from  the  town,  and  the  lyme  from  the  landwart,  skarslie  the 
half  of  the  materialles,  lyme  and  stean,  and  thairfor  justlie  I  may  call  it  a 
spectakle  of  God's  liberalitie." 


PITAIRTHIE  CASTLE,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  ruin  on  rising  ground,  about  five  miles  inland  from  Anstruther,  in 
the  East  Neuk  of  Fife.  The  plan  is  a  modified  L  (Fig.  507),  with  staircase 
turret  and  entrance  doorway  in  the  re-entering  angle  ;  while  the  wing  is 
projected  both  to  the  south  and  west. 

The  ground  floor  contains  the  kitchen  and  passage  and  the  usual 
cellars.  The  kitchen  is  in  the  wing,  and  has  a  water  supply  trough  in  the 


Fio.  507.— Pitairthie  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

west  wall.  On  the  first  floor  is  the  hall,  37  feet  by  22  feet,  and  a  private 
room  in  the  wing  18  feet  square.  A  small  service  room  is  inserted  in  the 
north-west  angle  of  the  main  block  and  the  wing,  with  a  narrow  stair  to 
the  basement.  The  hall  has  windows  on  every  side,  and  in  that  to  the 
west  there  is  a  stone  sink.  A  corbelled  wheel-stair  in  the  north  wall  leads 
from  the  hall  to  the  upper  floor,  which  contained  three  or  four  bedrooms. 


QUEEN  MARY'S,  ST.  ANDREWS      —  563  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  exterior  (Fig.  508)  is  so  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  ivy  that 
the  walls  can  scarcely  be  seen,  but  its  features  are  simply  those  of  a  plain 
Scottish  mansion  of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  will  be  observed,  how- 
ever, that  shot-holes  are  still  introduced  under  the  window  sills. 


PIG.  508.— Pitairtliie  Castle.    View  from  North- West. 

The  property  was  acquired  by  a  family  of  the  name  of  Bruce,  in  1644, 
and  the  castle  is  said  to  have  been  erected  or  enlarged  by  William  Bruce 
in  1653. 


QUEEN  MARY'S,*  ST.  ANDREWS,  FIFESHIRE. 

This  house,  situated  at  the  east  end  of  South  Street,  St.  Andrews, 
on  the  south  side  of  and  close  to  the  ruins  of  the  cathedral,  was  built  in 
1523  by  a  merchant  named  Hugh  Scrymgeour.  The  feu-charter  is  still 
extant  among  the  Records  of  the  United  College  of  St.  Salvator  and  St. 
Leonard,  the  senatus  of  which  holds  a  superiority  over  the  ground,  and 
receives  a  small  annual  feu-duty.  There  was  a  tradition  that  it  was  the 
residence  of  Mary  of  Guise,  but  it  is  unsupported  by  evidence ;  on 

*  We  are  indebted  to  the  proprietor,  T.  T.  Oliphant,  Esq.,  for  Plans  and 
particulars  connected  with  this  house. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  564  —      QUEEN  MARY'S,  ST.  ANDREWS 


the  contrary,  it  appears  from  several  trustworthy  sources  that  James  v.'s 
second  queen,  when  at  St.  Andrews,  occupied  the  novum  hospitium  or 
new  inn  built  for  his  first  queen,  Magdalen  of  France.  There  is,  however, 
good  reason  for  believing  that  it  was  the  house  in  which  Mary  Queen  of 
Scots  lodged  during  her  visits  to  St.  Andrews  in  1562-63-64. 

In  a  letter  from  Randolph,  Ambassador  to  the  Scottish  Court  at  that 
time,  to  Cecil,  Queen  Elizabeth's  Minister,*  he  describes  his  interview 
with  the  queen  ;  and  as  this  is  the  only  house  answering  the  description 
in  Randolph's  letter,  which  is  shown  in  a  map  or  plan  of  St.  Andrews  in 


PIG.  509.— Queen  Mary's,  St.  Andrews.    View  from  South-East. 

the  Panmure  Library, -dated  1530,  as  well  as  on  a  subsequent  one  of  1620, 
no  room  is  left  for  doubt  on  the  subject.  It  is  further  known  that 
Charles  n.  lodged  in  this  house  on  the  4th  and  5th  of  July  1650.f 

This  Sketch  (Fig.  509)  represents  the  principal  part  of  the  original 
house  now  remaining,  and  was  taken  in  1874,  since  which  date  a  con- 
servatory has  been  added  at  the  east  side  of  the  porch. 

A  wing  to  the  east  of  the  present  house  (shown  on  the  Plan  of  Base- 

*  See  Chalmers'  Life  of  Mary,  Vol.  u.  p.  70 ;  Lyon's  History  of  St.  Andrews, 
Vol.  i.  p.  349. 

t  See  Diary  of  John  Lamont  of  Newton,  Edinburgh  Edition,  1830,  p.  20. 


QUKEN  MARY'S,  ST.  ANDREWS      —  565  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


ment,  Fig.  510),  together  with  about  half  the  garden,  was  sold  by  the  then 
owner  in  1783,  and  the  former  was  soon  after  partially  taken  down  and 


EAST      WING 
SOLO     IN  .   1783 


Fio.  510. — Queen  Mary's,  St.  Andrews.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

rebuilt,  with  an  addition  still  further  to  the  east ;  and  this  with  the  wing 
now  forms  a  separate  house,  the  existing  house  being  shown  in  Fig.  511. 


Fio.  511.— Queen  Mary's,  St.  Andrews.    Plans  of  Principal  and  Upper  Floors. 


The  porch  (as  shown  in  Fig.  511)  is  a  subsequent  addition  (probably  late 
Jacobean,  circa  1710),  and  the  apartment  to  the  south  of  the  wing  with 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    566    — 


FERNIE    CASTLE 


the  lean-to  roof  is  also  a  later  and  unfortunate  addition  as  far  as  the 
outward  appearance  is  concerned,  though  adding  to  the  interior  comfort. 

There  are  two  old  rooms  within  the 
house — the  one  marked  "Boudoir" 
being  panelled  in  Memel  pine,  the 
other  in  oak;  the  former  has  two 
recesses  in  the  south  wall,  which  is 
more  than  7  feet  thick,  one  of  which 
seems  to  have  been  an  oratory.  The 
whole  house  is  built  upon  strong 
vaults,  and  from  these  the  outline 
of  the  original  building  can  be  easily 
traced. 

The  angle  turret  (Fig.  512)  is 
remarkable,  being  more  like  an  Eliza- 
bethan bow  window  than  a  Scottish 
turret.  The  three  windows  have  no 
doubt  been  inserted  in  the  three 
sides  so  as  to  command  an  extensive 
view.  The  present  roof  of  the  turret  can  scarcely  be  original.  It  was 
probably  finished  at  first  with  an  octagonal  spirlet  or  a  crow-stepped  gablet. 


FIG.  512. — Queen  Maiy's,  St.  Andrews. 
Angle  Turret. 


FERNIE  CASTLE,*  FIFESHIRE. 

A  mansion,   partly   old,  with   later  additions,   situated  in   beautiful 
grounds  about  three  miles  west  from  Cupar.     The  house  has  been  erected 


FIG.  513.— Fernie  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 


on  a  slightly  elevated  site,  which  was  evidently  at  one  time  surrounded 
and  protected  by  marshy  ground.     The  original  structure  (Fig.  513)  is  the 

*  We  have  to  thank  Messrs.  Auld  &  Macdonald,  W.S.,  Edinburgh,  for  assistance 
in  connection  with  this  building. 


FERNIE   CASTLK 


—   567    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FIG.  514.— Fernie  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 


Via.  515.— Fernie  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    568    — 


CREICH    CASTLE 


western  part,  comprising  an  oblong  block  39  feet  long  by  27  feet  wide,  with 
a  win"  projecting  to  the  south,  which  contained  the  entrance  doorway  and 
staircase.  A  round  tower  has  also  been  erected  at  the  north-west  angle, 
corbelled  out  to  the  square  at  the  top  and  provided  with  a  small  staircase 
turret  in  the  angle  (Fig.  514).  The  plan  is  in  general  character  of  the 
L  form ;  the  addition  of  the  above  round  tower,  however,  forming  a  modi- 
fication of  the  ordinary  design.  To  the  east  of  the  older  block  (which 
is  apparently  of  the  Fourth  Period)  lies  a  large  addition  of  a  later  date, 
probably  about  1700,  containing  a  new  entrance  door  and  hall  on  the 
ground  floor  and  complete  suite  of  public  rooms  on  the  first  floor. 

The  large  round  tower  at  the  north-east  angle  (Fig.  515)  seems  to 
have  been  introduced  in  order  to  keep  up  the  Scottish  character  of  the 
mansion.  The  edifice  forms  a  good  and  picturesque  example  of  its  time. 

The  Castle  of  Fernie  is  said  to  have  been  a  place  of  great  antiquity 
and  strength,  and  to  have  formed  part  of  the  domain  of  the  Earl  of  Fife. 
But  there  is  now  nothing  to  indicate  an  earlier  date  than  that  above 
mentioned. 


CREICH  CASTLE,  FIFESHIRE. 

A  structure  of  the  L  Plan,  which  stands  on  a  mound  in  the  midst  of 
what  was  formerly  a  marsh,  about  six  miles  north  from  Cupar.     The  site 


FIG.  516.— Creich  Castle.    View  from  South- West 

is  in  a  quiet  hollow  surrounded  with  hills,  and  near  the  castle  are  the  ruins 
of  the  ancient  church. 


CLEISH    CASTLE  -    569    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

In  the  thirteenth  century  Creich  Castle  belonged  to  Macduff,  Earl 
of  Fife  ;  but  the  existing  building  was  erected  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
when  the  lands  were  acquired  by  the  Bethunes  from  the  Liddels. 

The  building  is  now  an  ivy-mantled  ruin,  but  has  been  a  structure  of 
some  pretensions.  The  entrance  doorway  and  staircase  were  in  a  tower 
in  the  re-entering  angle,  and  the  corbelling  of  the  parapet  has  been  of  an 
ornate  character  (Fig.  516). 

The  interior  is  now  destroyed,  but  the  apartments  have  evidently  been 
of  considerable  size.  The  angles  have  been  finished  with  the  usual 
corbelled  turrets,  and  there  are  indications  of  a  stone  defence  or  machi- 
colation in  the  angle  of  the  tower  at  the  parapet,  such  as  is  observed  at 
Denmiln  and  Elcho. 


CLEISH  CASTLE,*  KINROSS-SHIRE. 

This  mansion  is  situated  at  the  base  of  the  Cleish  Hills,  about  three  or 
four  miles  south-west  from  the  county  town  of  Kinross.  It  enjoys  a  lovely 
situation,  and  is  surrounded  with  trees,  conspicuous  among  which  is  an 
ancient  avenue  of  Scotch  yews,  which  may  probably  have  braved  the  blasts 
of  the  three  centuries  which  have  come  and  gone  since  the  castle  was  built. 

The  castle  is  a  very  massive  structure,  considering  its  comparatively  late 
age.  The  walls  on  the  ground  floor  (Fig.  517)  measure  from  7  feet  to  9  feet 
in  thickness,  and  the  whole  ground  floor  is  vaulted.  The  building  was 
allowed  to  fall  into  a  state  of  complete  ruin,  and  a  pencil  sketch  in  the 
possession  of  the  proprietor,  Harry  Young,  Esq.,  made  by  the  Rev.  John 
Thomson  of  Duddingston,  shows  the  castle  as  entirely  roofless,  all  the 
windows  empty,  with  the  tops  of  the  walls  and  chimneys  ragged  and 
broken.  But  about  forty-five  years  ago  Mr.  Young  had  it  renovated  and 
converted  into  his  mansion-house  under  the  direction  of  the  late  Mr.  John 
Lessels,  architect.  At  that  time  the  walls  on  the  various  floors  were 
greatly  reduced  in  thickness,  and  the  ground  floor  vault  in  the  main 
portion  of  the  structure  was  taken  out,  many  of  the  windows  were 
enlarged,  and  various  other  alterations  were  made.  A  complete  change 
was  effected  in  the  entrance  arrangements.  In  the  re-entering  angle  an 
outside  stair  was  constructed,  leading  to  the  first  floor,  at  which  level  the 
new  entrance  is  placed,  having  a  porch  on  the  top  of  the  new  stair.  The 
ruinous  remains  of  the  courtyard  were  removed,  and  the  space  was 
converted  into  a  lawn.f 

*  We  are  greatly  indebted  to  Harry  Young,  Esq.  of  Cleish,  for  information  and 
assistance  in  connection  with  the  present  notice. 

t  The  Plans  (Fig.  517)  are  made  from  measurements,  and  the  original  thickness 
of  the  walls  was  obtained  from  Plans  in  the  possession  of  James  Lessels,  Esq. ,  architect, 
Edinburgh,  which  he  kindly  placed  at  our  disposal. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    570    — 


CLEISH    CASTLE 


The  building  is  of  the  L  Plan,  and  measures  57  feet  from  north  to 
south  by  40  feet  6  inches  from  east  to  west,  and  contains  four  stories  and 
attics,  with  an  additional  entresol  in  the  wing.  In  ancient  times  there 
were  three  entrances  to  the  courtyard ;  one  of  them  still  exists  on  the 
north  side,  and  is  shown  on  the  Ground  Plan ;  it  is  now  built  up. 


PIG.  517.— Cleish  Castle.    Plans. 

One  of  the  other  entrances  was  at  the  south-east  corner  of  the 
courtyard  adjoining  the  castle,  and  another  on  the  west  side.  The 
entrance  door  to  the  house  was,  as  usual,  in  the  re-entering  angle  of 
the  ground  floor,  but  it  is  now  built  up.  It  was  a  lintelled  doorway, 
and  is  moulded  (as  shown  in  section  on  Plan)  with  the  bead  and 


CLEISII    CASTLE 


—  571  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


hollow    mouldings  which  are  of  such  frequent  occurrence  in   buildings 
of  the  seventeenth  century.     The  wheel-staircase  is  immediately  opposite 


PIG.  518.—  Oleish  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 


the  door  and  in  the  centre  of  the  house,  between  the  main  building  and 
the  wing.  This  stair  terminates  at  the  second  floor  level ;  and  from  thence 
in  the  usual  way  a  stair  turret  of  rather  more  than  the  ordinary  width  con- 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


572    PITPIRRANE    CASTLE 


tinues  the  ascent  to  the  top.  It  will  be  seen  (Fig.  518)  that  this  turret  is 
not  projected  in  the  re-entering  angle  in  the  ordinary  fashion,  but  is 
corbelled  out  in  the  centre  of  the  east  front. 

The  height  of  the  ground  floor  vault  of  the  main  building  was  about  9 
feet,  and  in  the  wing  where  the  kitchen  was  situated  it  was  a  little  more, 
the  floor  being  at  a  lower  level.  The  old  kitchen,  which  is  rather  dark, 
is  lighted  by  two  small  cross  windows.  It  has  a  spacious  fireplace,  with  a 
great  flue  rising  to  a  height  of  about  70  feet  above  the  floor. 

The  hall,  which  was  on  the  first  floor,  had  a  great  fireplace  (as  shown  on 
Plan)  near  the  centre  of  the  south  wall ;  this  wall  is  now  thinned,  and  a  new 
fireplace  has  been  constructed  in  the  west  wall.  A  large  garde-robe,  with 
a  door  both  from  the  staircase  and  hall,  had  a  shoot  through  the  east  wall. 
The  other  arrangements  of  the  house  may  be  easily  understood  from 
the  drawings. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  features  of  Cleish  Castle  is  the  magnificent 
south  gabl§  (see  Fig.  518),  which,  as  already  noted,  rises  to  a  height  of  about 
70  feet,  in  a  series  of  broad  oflsetts,  for  which  there  is  ample  scope,  as  the 
wall  commences  with  a  thickness  of  about  10  feet  immediately  over  the 
fireplace  arch.  These  oflsetts  impart  an  air  of  great  strength  and  solidity 
to  the  mass  of  masonry,  recalling  the  striking  effect  of  the  similar  lofty 
gable  at  Castle  Huntly,  Perthshire. 

The  moulding  along  the  wall  head  of  the  castle,  instead  of  being  the 
usual  cavetto,  is  the  opposite  or  a  roll  moulding. 

In  1530  Sir  James  Colville  of  Ochiltree  exchanged  the  lands  of 
Ochiltree  for  those  of  Easter  Wemyss  and  Lochoreshire,  Fife,  which 
included  the  barony  of  Cleish,  and  in  1537  he  bestowed  the  barony 
on  his  son  Robert.* 

The  initials  shown  on  a  window  tympanum  (see  Fig.  518)  are  those  of 
Robert  Colville,  third  Baron  of  Cleish,  and  his  wife,  Beatrix  Haldane,  with 
the  date  1600.  This  tympanum  is  (as  shown  in  the  Sketch)  built  into 
the  staircase  turret,  but  it  is  not  in  its  original  position. 

The  appearance  of  the  house  suggests  that  the  upper  part  is  later  than 
the  lower,  and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  some  portion  of  the  structure  may 
be  as  old  as  the  time  of  the  first  Robert  Colville. 


PITFIRRANE  CASTLE,  f  FIFESHIRE. 

A  castle  situated  about  two  miles  west  from  Dunfermline,  in  a  fine 
undulating  park  studded  with  ancient  trees.  The  structure  is  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation,  having  always  remained  in  a  habitable  condition. 
At  one  time  it  made  a  very  narrow  escape  from  destruction  by  alteration. 

*  Between  the  Ochils  and  Forth,  p.  62,  by  Daniel  Beveridge. 

t  We  are  indebted  to  Sir  Peter  Arthur  Halkett,  Bart.,  for  the  Plans  of  this  castle. 


PITFIRRANE    CASTLE 


—    573    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    574    — 


PITFIRRANE    CASTLE 


Sir  Arthur  Halkett  (the  proprietor)  has  in  his  possession  plans  prepared 
by  an  architect  about  the  end  of  last  century  or  beginning  of  this, 
which  if  carried  into  effect  would  have  utterly  ruined  the  old  house. 
Another  set  of  plans  for  additions  to  the  mansion  also  exist,  which  were 
probably  prepared  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  are  of  considerable 
merit,  but  were  never  carried  out.  Independently  of  these  abortive 
attempts,  however,  Pitfirrane  has  in  its  time  undergone  very  considerable 
alterations. 


FIG.  520.— Pitflrrane  Castle.    View  from  South-West. 

From  the  evidence  presented  by  the  building  (Figs.  519  and  520)  it 
would  appear  that  originally  this  castle  was  a  simple  oblong  in  plan, 
having  battlements  round  the  top  with  parapet  and  walk,  and  consisted 
internally  of  the  usual  ground  floor  vault  (containing  an  entresol)  and 
two  floors  above,  with  the  ordinary  capehouse  and  attic  in  the  roof. 
The  height  of  this  primitive  tower  can  be  traced  from  the  nature  of 
the  masonry  of  the  existing  walls  up  to  about  the  level  of  the  corner 
turrets.  The  mode  of  communication  from  the  ground  to  the  first  floor 


PITFIRRANE    CASTLE 


—    575   — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


seems  to  have  been  by  two  stairs  rising  on  each  side  from  the  ingoing 
of  the  doorway  in  the  thickness  of  the  south  wall,  similar  to  the  stairs 
at  Carrick  Castle.  These  stairs  are  no  longer  visible,  but  Sir  Arthur 
Halkett  has  a  distinct  recollection  of  their  existence  up  to  the  first  floor. 

This  simple  structure  probably  existed  throughout  the  sixteenth  century 
till  about  the  year  1583,  when  it  was  changed  into  its  present  form.  The 
walls  were  raised,  the  parapet  walk  was  abolished,  the  corner  turrets  were 


Fio.  521.-  Pitflrrane  Castle.    View  from  North-West. 

added,  and  a  new  roof  was  put  on  (Fig.  521).  A  staircase  tower  was  built 
at  the  same  time  at  the  south-east  corner  of  the  keep  (where  shown  on  Plan 
by  cross  hatched  lines),  thus  converting  the  tower  into  a  mansion  of  the 
L  shape.  These  alterations  considerably  increased  the  accommodation, 
and  changed  the  character  of  the  house  from  a  rude  defensive  keep  into 
a  peaceful  mansion-house,  with  a  fair  amount  of  accommodation  and  a 
pleasant  external  aspect. 

The  main  staircase  in  the  tower  terminates  at  the  second  floor  level, 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    576    — 


BLAIRLOGIE    CASTLE 


and  a  small  staircase  leads  to  the  upper  floors,  in  the  usual  manner,  in  the 
corbelled  angle  turret.     The  tower  being  raised  to  a  considerable  height, 

_ — — — *        several  stories  are  obtained  in  it  over  the  main 

staircase.  Still  later  in  the  seventeenth  century 
the  building  was  further  enlarged  by  the  addi- 
tions to  the  south  and  east  (shown  by  hatched 
lines  on  Plan).  Extensive  new  works  were 
also  carried  out  during  the  present  century, 
under  the  direction  of  the  late  Mr.  Bryce. 

In  the  staircase  tower  there  are  two  panels 
containing  coats  of  arms  (shown  in  the  View 
from  the  south-west,  Fig.  520).  The  lower  of 
these  contains  the  Halkett  arms  and  the  date 
1583.  The  other  panel  is  double  (Fig.  522), 
and  contains  in  the  lower  compartment  the 
Halkett  arms,  impaled  with  those  of  Hepburn. 
Beneath  are  the  initials  of  George  Halkett  and 
Isabel  Hepburn  (of  the  Waughton  family),  his 
wife,  with  the  mottoes  of  their  respective  families 
above,  viz.,  "Fides  suflicit,"  and  "Go  till  it." 
The  marriage  occurred  in  1576,  and  it  is  most 
likely  that  the  alterations  above  described  as 
having  taken  place  about  1583  were  executed 
under  the  said  George  Halkett  and  his  wife. 


TT 

11 


(o) 


J 


Fio.  522.—  Pitfirrane  Castle. 
Halkett  and  Hepburn  Arms. 


FIG.  523.— Blairlogie  Castle.     View  from  South- East. 


DUCHRAY    CASTLE 


—  577  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


BLAIRLOGIE  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

Now  a  farm-house,  about  three  miles  north-east  from  Stirling,  beauti- 
fully situated  near  the  base  of  Dumyat  (Fig.  523). 

The  structure  is  said  to  date  from  1513,  but  it  has  been  modernised 
and  added  to.  It  was  the  seat  of  the  Spittal  family.  One  angle  turret  is 
carried  on  large  corbels  in  an  unusual  manner,  and  the  other,  which 
contains  the  staircase  to  the  upper  floors,  is  finished  on  top  by  the  crow- 
steps  of  the  gable  being  carried  round  it.  A  few  good  fragments  of  old 
iron  and  wood  work  are  preserved  in  the  interior. 


DUCHRAY  CASTLE,*  STIRLINGSHIRE. 

This  castle  lies  in  the  parish  of  Drymen,  in  the  earldom  of  Monteith.    It 
is  an  oblong  building  (Fig.  524),  with  a  round  tower  at  the  south-east  angle 


Fid.  524.  —  Duchray  Castle.    View  from  South-East 

rising  from  the  ground,  and  a  round  turret  projected  on  corbels  at  the  top 
of  the  north-west  angle.     The  ground  floor  is  vaulted.     It  seems,  accord- 

*  For  the  following  notes  of  the  history  of  Duchray  we  are  indebted  to  John 
Guthrie  Smith,  Esq.  of  Mugdock. 

20 


FOURTH    PERIOD  —    578    DUCHRAY   CASTLE 

ing  to  Mr.  Smith's  notes,  to  have  been  erected  ahout  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  and  is  peculiar  in  having  windows  with  pointed  arches 
at  a  time  when  lintelled  windows  almost  entirely  prevailed.  This  probahly 
arose  from  the  difficulty  at  the  time  in  finding  stones  sufficiently  large  for 
lintels. 

The  battlemented  wall  (shown  in  the  View)  running  westwards  together 
with  the  arched  entrance  to  the  courtyard  seem  to  be  of  the  same  age  as 
the  castle. 

In  1528  the  lands  of  Duchray  were  "  occupeit  by  George  Buchquhannan 
of  that  ilk,"  and  the  "  mailis  "  or  rents  were  due  to  Queen  Margaret, 
widow  of  King  James  iv.,  who  was  then  liferentrix  of  the  Stewartry  of 
Monteith.  A  little  later  the  lands  were  feued  off,  and  Duchray  was  in  the 
hands  of  John  Drummond  of  Drongy,  who  sold  it  in  1569  to  John 
Graham  of  Downance,  who  held  it  in  liferent,  William  Graham,  his  son, 
being  proprietor  in  fee.  The  Grahams  of  Downance  were  cadets  of  the 
Earls  of  M'onteith.  William  Graham,  who  thus  became  first  of  Duchray, 
was  probably  the  builder  of  the  old  castle. 

Duchray  Castle  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  force  which  the  Earl  of 
Glencairn  raised  in  1653  for  the  service  in  Scotland  of  King  Charles  n. 
The  earl  himself  arrived  at  the  castle  in  August  of  that  year,  when  he 
found  awaiting  him  a  company  of  foot  soldiers  under  his  host.  The 
tutor  of  M'Gregor,  the  Laird  of  M'Naughton,  Lord  Kenmure,  and  others 
arrived  soon  afterwards,  with  horse  and  foot  soldiers ;  and  in  a  few  days 
a  sharp  engagement  took  place  between  the  royal  troops  and  a  Crom- 
wellian  force  from  Stirling  at  a  pass  near  Aberfoyle.  The  English  were 
worsted  and  driven  back,  the  Laird  of  Duchray's  foot  bearing  the  brunt 
of  the  battle.  In  the  rather  unsatisfactory  campaign  that  followed 
Graham  took  a  leading  part,  and  seems  to  have  suffered  much  in  purse  and 
estate  ;  for  on  the  accession  of  King  James  vn.  there  was  a  precept  issued 
by  him  to  the  Treasury  of  Scotland,  authorising  a  payment  to  the  Laird 
of  Duchray  of  one  hundred  pounds  sterling,  and  remission  of  his  feu 
duties,  "  in  consideration  of  the  loyalty,  services,  and  sufferings  of  John 
Graham  of  Deuchrie  .  .  .  and  also  in  consideration  that  the  summe 
of  one  hundred  pounds  sterline  was  granted  to  him  by  our  deceased  royall 
brother  of  ever  blessed  memory,  wherof  (as  he  informes  us)  there  was  not 
any  payment  ever  made  unto  him." 

By  his  marriage  to  the  heiress  of  Rednock  John  Graham  became 
possessed  of  that  estate.  His  grandson,  Alexander  Graham  of  Duchray 
and  Rednock,  married  Margaret  Stirling,  a  daughter  of  the  house  of 
Achyle ;  and  his  grandson,  another  Alexander  Graham,  succeeded  to 
Achyle  in  1797,  on  the  death  without  issue  of  his  cousin,  Jean  Stirling, 
widow  of  the  Honourable  James  Erskine  of  Alloa.  He  thereupon  styled 
himself  Alexander  Graham  Stirling  of  Duchray,  Rednock,  and  Achyle. 
Lieutenant-General  Graham  Stirling  died  in  1849,  leaving  a  large  family. 


BALMANNO    CASTLE 


—  579  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  eldest  son,  John  Graham  Stirling,  advocate,  succeeded  to  the  family 
estates;  but,  dying  unmarried  in  1865,  they  passed  to  his  brother,  Robert 
Graham  Stirling,  an  officer  in  the  army,  who  died,  also  without  issue,  in 
1875.  The  present  proprietor  of  Duchray  is  the  Rev.  Henry  Alexander 
Graham  Sheppard,  M.A.,  son  of  Mary  Ann  Graham  Stirling,  and  the  Rev. 
Henry  Sheppard,  her  husband.  She  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Lieutenant- 
General  Graham  Stirling.  The  Rev.  Henry  Alexander  Graham  Sheppard 
succeeded  his  uncle  in  1875. 


BALMANNO  CASTLE,*  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  lofty  structure,  situated  on  the  northern  base  of  the  Ochils,  not  far 
from  the  entrance  to  Glenfarg,  and  in  the  parish  of  Dron.  It  stands 
surrounded  by  a  moat,  still  partially  filled  with  water,  except  on  the  east 
side,  where  it  has  been  partly  embanked,  so  as  to  admit  of  a  carriage  access. 
The  house  is  still  inhabited,  being  now  used  as  a  farm  residence,  and  a 
few  alterations  have  been  made  to  adapt  it  to  modern  purposes.  Thus, 
the  entrance  is  now  by  a  flight  of  outside  steps,  leading  up  to  the  doorway 


Fio.  525. — Balmanno  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 

on  the  first  floor,  where  a  modern  stair  in  the  centre  of  the  house  partly 
supersedes  the  old  wheel-stair.  With  the  exception  of  these  alterations 
Balmanno  remains  a  very  good  example  of  a  Scottish  seventeenth-century 
mansion.  It  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  525),  with  a  tower  in  the  re-entering 
angle.  By  reference  to  Vol.  i.  p.  336,  it  will  be  seen  that  this  plan  is 
similar  to  that  of  the  neighbouring  Castle  of  Balvaird,  which '  was  built 
about  a  century  earlier  ;  but  here  the  walls  are  not  quite  so  massive,  and  the 
*  We  are  indebted  to  Daniel  Dow,  jun.,  Esq.,  Balmanno,  for  the  Plans  of  this  house. 


—  580  — 


BALM  ANNO    CASTLE 


parapet  for  defence  is  not  continued  all  round  the  castle,  being  confined  to 
the  tower  in  the  re-entering  angle  (Fig.  526).  This  tower  rises  to  a  height 
of  62  feet,  and  about  6  feet  more  to  the  top  of  the  turret.  The  whole  of  the 
ground  floor  is  vaulted,  and  the  kitchen  occupies  the  north-west  wing.  The 
wheel-stair  leads  to  the  first  and  second  floors,  where  it  terminates,  and  a 


FIG.  526.— Balmanno  Castle.    View  from  East. 

turret  stair  is  continued  to  the  top.     There  is  a  private  stair  from  the 
ground  floor  to  the  first  floor. 

From  a  charter  in  the  Great  Seal  Register,  dated  21st  June  1581,  it 
appears  that  the  present  castle  was  built  some  time  between  1570-80  by 
George  Auchinleck,  who  had  purchased  the  lands  from  Alexander 


NEWTON    HOUSE 


—   581 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Balmanno  of  that  ilk.  The  name  of  Thomas  Balmanno  of  that  ilk  occurs 
in  a  charter  of  1530.  The  estate  seems  to  have  continued  in  the 
Auchinleck  family  for  about  a  hundred  years,  when  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  Hurrays  of  Glendoick,  a  branch  of  the  family  of  the 
Murrays,  barons  of  Tullibardine.  It  afterwards  passed  by  the  marriage 
of  the  daughter  and  heiress  of  Sir  Patrick  Murray  in  1752  to  the  Belshes 
of  Invermay.  The  estate  is  now  the  property  of  the  eldest  son  of  Baron 
Clinton,  in  right  of  his  mother,  only  daughter  of  Sir  John  Stuart  Forbes 
of  Pitsligo,  who  succeeded  to  the  estates  of  Invermay  and  Balmanno  as  heir 
of  entail  on  the  death  of  Colonel  Belshes. 


NEWTON  HOUSE,  DOUNE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  quaint  old  mansion  (Fig.  527),  not  far  from  the  well-known  Castle  of 
Doune,  noticeable  from  the  peculiarity  of  having  a  circular-ended  wing 


Fio.  527.— Newton  House.    View  from  North- West. 

containing  the  staircase  roofed  with  a  crow-stepped  gable,  which  follows 
the  curve  of  the  round  tower.  This  house  belonged  to  a  branch  of 
the  Edmonstones  of  Duntreath. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  582  — 


ABERUCIIILL    CASTLE 


ABERUCHILL  CASTLE,*  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  castle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  now  incorporated  with  a  modern 
mansion.     It  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  base  of  the  mountains  and 


Fio.  528.— Aberuchill  Castle.     Plan. 


amongst  fine  old  trees,  about  two  miles  from  Comrie.     The  house  was 
built  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  528),  with  a  circular  tower  in  the  re-entering 


PIG.  529.— Aberuchill  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 
*  This  Plan  is  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  Bryce. 


FINLARIG   CASTLE  583   FOURTH    PERIOD 

angle  containing  the  staircase.    The  View  (Fig.  529)  shows  the  south  front 
as  now  altered. 

Aberuchill  was  one  of  the  castles  situated  in  the  district  so  long 
contested  between  the  Campbells  and  M'Gregors,  of  which  a  lively 
account  is  given  in  the  Legend  of  Montrose.  In  1596  a  charter  of 
Aberuchill  was  granted  by  the  Crown  to  Colin,  second  son  of  Campbell  of 
Lawers,  and  the  castle  was  erected  in  1602. 


COMRIE  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  small  keep  on  the  River  Lyon,  about  three  miles  from  Kenmore. 
The  main  block  (Fig.  530)  is  26  feet  by  19  feet,  with  a  square  tower  at  the 
south-west  angle  containing  a  circular  staircase.  The  date  is  about  1600. 
The  walls  are  fairly  preserved,  but  are  completely  concealed  with  ivy. 


FIG.  530.—  Comrie  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 


Comrie  Castle  was  the  original  seat  of  the  Menzies  family  (now  of 
Castle  Menzies);  but  having  been  burnt  in  1487,  they  built  and  removed 
to  Castle  Menzies,  after  which  Comrie  Castle  was  repaired  and  occupied 
by  the  younger  branches  of  the  family. 


FINLARIG  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

An  ancient  seat  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Earls  of  Breadalbane,  near  the 
head  of  Loch  Tay,  built  in  the  seventeenth  century,  either  on  the  L  Plan 
(Fig.  531) — with  the  south-west  wing  jutted  out  so  as  to  protect  two  sides  of 
the  main  block — or  on  the  Z  Plan.  If  the  latter,  the  tower  at  the  north- 
east angle  has  been  demolished,  but  the  staircase  in  the  wall  indicates  that 
there  was  formerly  a  building  in  this  position.  The  vaulted  ground  floor 
contained  the  kitchen  (with  stone  drain),  and  two  cellars  entering  from  a 
passage  in  the  main  block,  with  the  entrance  doorway,  and  a  good  square 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  584  — 


PINLARIG   CASTLE 


staircase  in  the  wing.     On  the  first  floor  was  the  hall  (36  feet  by  18  feet), 
with  a  private  room  in  the  wing.    A  panel  over  the  entrance  doorway  (Fig. 


PLAN  OF  GROUND    FLOOR 

-f IT 

PIG.  531.— Pinlarig  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

532,  and  enlarged  in  Pig.  533)  contains  the  royal  arms,  with  the  initials 
of  James  vi.,  those  of  his  queen,  and  the  date  1609.     This  is  undoubtedly 


PIG.  532.-  -Finlarig  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 


BALHOUSIK    CASTLE  -    585    -  FOURTH    PERIOD 

the  date  of  the  present  building,  although  the  local  traditions  carry  it  much 
further  back. 

The  castle  stands  on  a  detached  mound,  well  protected  by  the  loch  and 
the  rivers  Lochay  and  Dochart  towards  the  south  and  west ;  and  it  is  likely 
that  this  site  was  occupied  from  early  times  with  some 
kind  of  defensive  erection.     The  venerable  trees  which 
surround  it,   together  with  the  justice   "mount"  which 
adjoins,  conspire  to  support  this  idea.     Close  to  the  castle 
on  the  north  is  a  stone  tank  with  overflow  drain,  evidently 
intended  for  storing  water ;  but  the  local  memories  of  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  Campbells  have  invested  it  with  a 
more  terrible  office.     The  tank  is  regarded  as  the  scaffold          pI0.  533. 
within  which  the  victim  kneeled,   and   the   overflow  as      Finlarig  Castle. 

i.-t,          i          11.  ,     ,,         i  .  Arms  over  Entrance 

the  hollow  in  which  he  placed  his  neck  for  the  convenience  Door. 

of  the  headsman  ! 

We  find  in  the  New  Statistical  Account  the  following  quotation  from 
the  Slack  Book  of  Taymouth,  confirming  the  above  conclusions  as  to  the 
date  of  the  present  building  :  "  Duncan,  seventh  Laird  of  Glenurquhay  (died 
1631),  in  his  time  biggit  the  castle  of  Finlarig,  pitt  and  office  houses  thereof." 

A  small  chapel  stands  on  the  same  "  mount "  with  the  castle,  and  has 
been  since  the  sixteenth  century  the  burial-place  of  the  Breadalbane 
family.  The  original  chapel  was  erected  by  Sir  Colin,  the  third  Laird  of 
Glenurchy,  early  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The  seventh  laird  (Black 
Duncan),  who  built  the  castle,  also  improved  the  chapel  with  "  pavement 
and  painterie."  The  existing  edifice  is  a  modern  substitute  for  the  ancient 
chapel. 


ACHALLADER  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  ruined  castle  of  the  Campbells  of  Glenorchy  on  Loch  Talla,  ten 
miles  north  of  Tyndrum,  built  early  in  the  seventeenth  century  by  Black 
Duncan,  who  also  erected  Finlarig  and  Barcaldine  Castles,  to  which  it  no 
doubt  bore  some  resemblance. 


BALHOUSIE  CASTLE,*  PERTHSHIRE. 

The  picturesque  View  (Fig.  534)  of  the  house  and  gateway  of  Balhousie 
is  copied  from  a  water-colour  sketch  by  the  late  John  C.  Wintour.  f  The 

*  We  have  to  thank  H.  H.  Norie,  Esq.  of  Coltbridge  Hall,  tenant  of  ,the  castle 
1872-81,  for  a  Photograph  taken  in  1861,  and  D.  Smart,  Esq.,  architect,  Perth,  for  the 
Plans  of  the  house  as  it  was  before  the  alterations  were  made. 

t  Kindly  lent  by  W.  Ormiston,  Esq.,  surveyor,  Edinburgh. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    586 


BALHOUSIK    CASTLE 


castle  stands  on  a  bank  overlooking  the  North  Inch  of  Perth,  and  until 
1863  it  was  dilapidated,  and  only  the  first  floor  tenanted.     The  Earl  of 


FIG.  534.— Balhousie  Castle.    View  from  West. 


Kinnoull  then  caused  it  to  be  repaired  and  added  to,  and  provided  with 
turrets  at  the  angles  and  corbelling  at  various  places,  so  that  its  appear- 
ance has  been  greatly  changed.  Originally  the  structure  was  of  the 


PLAN    OF     SECON 


PLAN  or  TIRST   TLOOR 


FIG.  535.— Balhousie  Castle.    Plans. 


BALUOUSIE    CASTLE 


587  — 


FOUHTII    PEHIOD 


L  Plan  (Fig.  535),  with  entrance  door  and  staircase  to  the  first  floor 
in  the  wing.  Above  this  level  a  wheel-stair  in  a  square  turret, 
corbelled  out  on  the  east  face  of  the  building  (Fig.  536),  led  to 
the  upper  floors.  The  ground  floor  was  vaulted  and  contained  the 
kitchen  and  cellars.  The  first  floor  doubtless  comprised  the  hall 
and  a  private  room,  but  was  afterwards  divided  with  partitions.  The 


PIG.  536.— Balhousie  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

house  was  enclosed  with  a  strong  wall,  in  which  there  were  two  gate- 
ways, one  of  which  is  shown  in  Fig.  534.  The  date  1631  was  carved  on 
one  of  the  skew  putts.  The  historic  "  Boot  of  Bousie  "  runs  at  the  foot  of 
the  slope  on  which  the  castle  stands. 

Balhousie  belonged  to  the  well-known  Perthshire  family  of  Hay, 
connected  with  the  Hays,  Earls  of  Kinnoull,  whose  arms  appeared  in  a 
panel  on  the  wall.  At  the  beginning  of  last  century  a  son  of  Hay  of 
Balhousie  succeeded  to  the  earldom. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  588  — 


PITHEAVLIS    CASTLE 


PITHEAVLIS  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  house  situated  about  a  mile  westwards  from  Perth  Railway  Station. 
It  is  a  simple  oblong  structure  (Fig.  537),  with  a  square  tower  at  the  south- 
west corner  containing  the  entrance  doorway  and  the  staircase,  which 
seems  to  ascend  to  the  second  floor,  above  which  level  there  is  a  room  in 
the  tower.  There  are  two  angle  turrets  on  this  tower,  furnished  with 
gun-holes,  and  other  large  gun-holes  occur  in  the  ground  floor. 


FIG.  537.— Pitheavlis  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

Pitheavlis  is  not  referred  to  in  the  local  histories,  although  it  is  a  very 
characteristic  specimen  of  a  Scottish  house  of  the  sixteenth  century.  From 
the  records  in  the  year  1586  we  find  a  charter  by  John  Ross  of  Craigie 
confirming  the  sale  of  the  lands  and  manor  house  (manerio)  of  Pitheavlis 
to  Robert  Stewart. 

The  house  is  partly  inhabited  as  a  farm-house,  but  it  does  not  appear 
to  be  well  maintained  or  cared  for. 


CLUNY    CASTLK 


—  589  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


CLUNY  CASTLE,  PERTHSHIRE. 

A  simple  and  well-preserved  structure  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  538),  which 
stands  on  an  island  in  the  Loch  of  Cluny,  situated  between  Blairgowrie  and 
Dunkeld,  and  about  five  miles  from  the  former. 

The  locality  was  in  early  times  dignified  with  the  presence  of  a  much 
more  imposing  castle,  said  to  have  been  the  summer  palace  or  hunting 
seat  of  King  Kenneth  Macalpin  in  the  ninth  century.  This  would  appear 
to  have  been  a  stronghold  of  some  importance,  as  it  was  occupied  in  1296 
by  Edward  I.  It  stood  on  the  "castle-hill,"  a  level  platform  on  the  west 
side  of  the  loch,  from  which  steep  banks  slope  down  on  two  sides — a  very 
suitable  site  for  a  palisaded  fort  such  as  those  in  use  before  the  thirteenth 


Fio.  538.— Cluiiy  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

century,  and  of  which  the  first  Castle  of  Cluny  probably  formed  one.  At 
a  later  period  a  castle  of  the  style  of  the  First  Period  seems  to  have  been 
erected  here,  of  whose  walls  a  few  remains  are  still  visible  on  the  crest  of 
the  slopes. 

In  1377  John  de  Roos  was  appointed  by  Robert  n.  keeper  of  the 
Castle  of  Cluny.  The  lands  afterwards  passed  into  the  possession  of  the 
See  of  Dunkeld. 

The  existing  castle  on  the  island  is  stated  to  have  been  built  by 
Bishop  Brown  (1485-1514)  as  a  quiet  retreat,  and  the  island  is  said  to  be 
artificial,  and  probably  a  cranoge.  From  the  fact,  however,  that  it 
bears  the  weight  of  a  mansion  with  walls  5  feet  in  thickness  (Fig.  539), 
and  is  well  covered  with  tall  trees,  this  would  appear  to  be  very  proble- 
matical. The  castle  is  of  very  simple  design,  having  one  room  in  the 
main  block,  and  one  in  the  wing  on  each  floor.  On  the  ground  floor  is 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   590   — 


LETHENDY    TOWER 


the  kitchen,  with  a  large  fireplace.  The  building  has  been  restored 
and  put  in  good  order,  probably  about  the  end  of  last  century,  and 
the  pine  panelling  of  the  hall  on  the  first  floor  is  still  in  good  condition. 

At  the  Reformation   the  bishop   was  a   Crichton,   who,   in  order  to 
preserve  the  estate  from  others,  disposed  of  it  to  a  relative  of  the  same 


FIG.  539.  — Cluny  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

name — Robert  Crichton  of  Eliock,  in  Dumfriesshire.  Hence  it  happened 
that  the  "  Admirable  Crichton,"  who  was  the  son  of  the  latter,  although 
not  born  in  Cluny  Castle,  passed  a  great  part  of  his  boyhood  there. 

The  walls  may  possibly  be  those  erected  by  Bishop  Brown,  but  the  out- 
ward and  inward  character  of  the  building  is  now  that  of  an  ordinary 
L-shaped  house  of  the  Fourth  Period. 


LETHENDY  TOWER,  PERTHSHIRE. 

An  ancient  structure,  situated  between  Cargill  and  Blairgowrie,  on 
the  steepish  bank  of  a  small  Tay-ward  hurrying  burn. 

The  building  is  of  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  540),  and  is  three  stories  in  height. 
The  door  is  not,  as  usual  in  this  type  of  plan,  in  the  re-entering  angle,  but  is 
in  one  face  of  the  building,  with  the  staircase  to  both  floors  in  the  adjoin- 


LETIIENDY    TOWER 


—    591    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


ing  wing.  On  the  ground  floor,  entering  off  a  lobby,  is  the  kitchen,  with 
a  store-room  beyond.  This  floor  is  vaulted,  and  in  order  to  resist  the 
thrust  of  the  vault  the  walls  are  thicker  than  they  are  above,  the  extra 
thickness  being  to  the  outside,  with  a  splayed  water  table  on  top  (see  View). 
Some  of  the  walls  have  been  further  strengthened  in  recent  times  by  having 


Fio.  540. — Lethendy  Tower.    Plans  and  View. 

buttresses  built  against  them,  as  shown  on  Plan.  On  the  first  floor  is  the 
dining-room,  with  closet  and  private  room,  entering  off  a  lobby ;  but  this  floor 
has  evidently  been  much  altered.  Off  the  stair  is  a  small  irregular-shaped 
closet  with  arched  roof.  On  the  floor  above  are  the  sleeping  rooms. 

In  a  panel  above  the  entrance  door  is  a  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  the 
Herons,  the  family  to  whom  Lethendy  belonged,  and  the  date  1678. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    592     — 


FLEMINGTON    HOUSE 


BANNATYNE  HOUSE,  FORPARSHIRE. 

A  modernised  and  comfortable  farm-house,  near  Newtyle,  which  owes 
its  celebrity  to  its  having  been  the  residence,  towards  the  end  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  of  George  Bannatyne,  the  author  of  the  Bannatyne 
Manuscript,  a  collection  of  the  writings  of  the  older  Scottish  poets.  The 
house  has  one  angle  turret  on  the  north-east  corner,  which  is  said  to  have 
been  the  author's  cabinet. 


FLEMINGTON  HOUSE,  FORFARSHIRE. 

A  well-preserved  mansion  of  the  seventeenth  century  (which  was  occu- 
pied till  recently),  near  Aberlemno,  about  six  miles  north-east  from  Forfar. 
It  is  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  541),  with  the  common  modification  of  having  the 
wing  projected  so  as  to  protect  two  sides  of  the  main  building.  The  walls 
of  the  ground  floor  are  thick  and  the  apartments  are  vaulted.  It  contains 
the  kitchen,  which  enters  through  another  apartment.  The  entrance  door 
is  in  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  wing,  and  is  surrounded  with  a  boldly -cut 


FIG.  541.— Flemington  House.    Plans. 

architrave.  The  principal  staircase  to  the  first  floor  and  a  cellar  partly 
under  it  occupy  the  wing.  The  cellar  has  been  amply  supplied  with 
shot-holes.  On  the  first  floor  there  is  a  guard-room  of  irregular  form  in 
the  wing  and  two  rooms  in  the  main  building.  These  occupy  what  was 
no  doubt  originally  the  hall,  but  this  floor  and  the  upper  part  of  the 


FIjKMINGTON    HOUSE 


—  593  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


house  have  been  entirely  remodelled  and  provided  with  new  finishings, 
probably  in  the  last  century.  Indeed,  to  judge  from  the  size  of  the 
windows  and  general  character  of  the  structure,  we  are  inclined  to 
believe  that  it  has  been  partly  rebuilt  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth 
or  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

The  two  turret  stairs  from  the  first  to  the  upper  floors  are  unusual. 
That  in  the  re-entering  angle  ( Fig.  542)  represents  the  general  arrangement ; 


Fio.  542. — Flemington  House.    View  from  South-East. 

and  it  is  possible  that  the  other  one,  which  is  corbelled  out  in  the  northern 
angle  between  the  main  building  and  the  wing  (Fig.  543),  may  have  been 
inserted  at  the  time  of  the  rebuilding.  The  object  seems  to  have  been  to 
provide  an  entirely  distinct  access  to  bedrooms  in  the  wing  (which  would 
probably  be  used  for  guests),  and  the  upper  part  of  the  main  building 
where  the  family  apartments  were  situated.  The  exterior  is  very  simple, 
but  is  a  pleasing  example  of  an  old  Scottish  mansion. 

2  P 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


_    594    — 


PINHAVEN    CASTLE 


Fid.  543.— Flernington  House.    View  from  North- West. 

The  property  belongs  to  P.  Webster,  Esq.  of  Westfield,  but  we  have 
been  unable  to  learn  its  earlier  history. 


FINHAVEN  CASTLE,  FORFARSHIRK. 

Now  only  a  fragment  of  what  was  once  an  important  residence.  It 
stands  on  a  small  mound  at  the  junction  of  the  Lemno  Water  with  the 
South  Esk,  about  six  miles  north-east  from  Forfar.  The  keep,  of 
which  three  walls  still  partly  stand,  is  five  stories  in  height.  It  was  built 
on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  545),  but  the  wing  has  been  entirely  demolished,  only 
the  foundations  being  now  traceable.  The  main  building  contained  an 
apartment  16  feet  square  on  each  floor.  The  basement  still  retains  its 
vaulted  roof,  above  which  is  the  kitchen,  with  large  fireplace,  having  a 
small  window  at  the  west  end,  with  a  rebate  for  a  shutter  on  the  inside 


PINHAVEN    CASTLE 


—  595  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


and  a  stone  sink  and  drain  at  the  east  end.  There  is  also  a  water  supply 
conduit  in  the  re-entering  angle  and  a  corresponding  recess  for  a  cistern 
in  the  interior  wall.  The  windows  are  large,  and  have  been  defended  with 
iron  stanchions  (Fig.  544).  On  the  north-east  angle  are  the  remains  of  a 
corbelled  angle  turret,  with  architrave  mouldings  round  the  windows  and 


FIG.  544. — Finhaven  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

double  shot-holes.  All  these  details  point  to  the  date  of  the  structure 
being  in  the  seventeenth  century.  The  wing  probably  contained  the 
staircase.  A  fragment  of  wall  with  shot-holes  runs  northwards,  and 
other  portions  of  walls  show  that  there  was  a  courtyard  attached  to  the 
keep,  within  which  the  outbuildings  and  offices  no  doubt  stood. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    596    — 


PORTER    CASTLE 


In  the  fourteenth  century  the  property  belonged  to  Sir  R.  Bruce,  an 
illegitimate  son  of  Robert  I.  It  afterwards  passed  to  the  family  of 
Crawford,  and  here  Earl  "  Beardie  "  entertained  King  James  11.  By  the 
forfeiture  of  Ludovick,  Earl  of  Crawford,  in  1544,  Finhaven  came  to 


FIG.  545.— Finhaven  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

John,  Lord  Lindsay  of  the  Byres,  but  again  reverted  to  the  Earl  of 
Crawford  in  1608.  The  present  building  was  probably  erected  by  him 
soon  after  this  date.  Towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  it 
passed  to  the  Honourable  James  Carnegie,  second  son  of  the  Earl  of 
Northesk,  and  has  since  several  times  changed  hands. 


FORTER  CASTLE,*  FORFARSHIRE. 

This    ruinous  structure    is    situated   at   the  northern  base  of  Mount 
Blair,  amid  the  wild  scenery  of  Glen  Isla,  about  twelve  miles  north  of 


BASEMENT    FLOOR  PLAN 


FJO.  546.  — Forter  Castle.     Plans. 
We  have  to  thank  Mr.  George  G.  Milne  for  the  Plan  and  Sketches  of  this  castle. 


FOHTKK    CASTLK 


—    597    — 


FOUKT1I    PKKIOD 


Alyth.  The  building  consists  of  an  oblong  block  (Fig.  546)  measuring 
about  39  feet  by  26  feet  6  inches,  with  a  tower  at  the  south-east  corner 
measuring  about  21  feet  square,  so  that  the  castle  is  thus  a  variation 
of  the  L  Plan.  The  entrance  is  in  the  tower  in  the  re  entering  angle, 
which  also  contains  the  stair  to  the  first  floor,  at  which  level  it  stops,  and 
the  ascent  is  continued  in  the  turret  (Fig.  547).  Above  the  main  stair 
landing  the  ceiling  is  vaulted.  On  the  ground  floor  the  main  building 
was  divided  into  three  vaulted  compartments,  with  a  passage  leading  to 
them.  One  of  these  was  the  kitchen,  with  an  unusually  wide  fireplace, 


FIG.  547.— Porter  Castle.     View  from  South-West. 

being  about  19  feet  by  about  4  feet  in  depth.  The  first  floor  contains  the 
hall,  measuring  about  32  feet  by  19  feet,  with  a  large  fireplace  on  the 
south  side,  the  back  of  which  (as  seen  in  Fig.  547)  has  fallen  out  beneath 
the  saving  arch.  There  is  another  fireplace  in  the  west  end  of  the  hall, 
adjoining  which,  on  the  south  side,  there  has  been  a  mural  chamber  with 
a  small  window.  Above  the  hall  there  appears  to  have  been  second  and 
third  floors  with  an  attic.  These  were  probably  divided  into  two  or  three 
apartments  on  each  floor  ;  entering  from  the  third  floor  there  '  were  angle 
turrets  corbelled  out  at  the  north-east  and  north-west  corners  (as  shown 
in  Fig.  548). 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  598  — 


BALLINSHOE    CASTLE 


The   lands  were  granted  at  an  early  date  by  the  Dorwards  to  the 
Abbey  of  Coupar,  but  afterwards  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Ogilvies. 
Forter  Castle  was  burnt  in  1640  by  the  Earl  of  Argyll  during  the 


PIG.  548.— Forter  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 


absence  of  the  proprietor,  Lord  Ogilvy.  Lady  Ogilvy  was  driven  from 
the  house,  and  on  this  incident  is  founded,  says  Mr.  Jervise,  the  ballad  of 
the  Bonny  House  of  Airlie. 


BALLINSHOE  CASTLE,*  FORPARSHIRE. 

A  small  tower,  situated  about  two  miles  south-east  of  Kirriemuir  (Fig. 
549),  measuring  about  27  feet  4  inches  by  22  feet  4  inches.  It  had  a  project- 
ing tower  at  the  north-east  corner,  but  whether  it  was  round  or  square  on 
plan  is  not  now  ascertainable.  It  is  shown  round,  and  it  thus  corresponds 
with  the  similar  tower  at  Duchray.  In  this  tower  was  the  staircase.  The 
main  block  is  three  stories  in  height,  none  of  which  are  vaulted.  There 
was  just  one  apartment  on  each  floor,  so  that  the  accommodation  was 
very  limited,  the  only  extra  or  private  place  being  the  turret,  which  was 
probably  corbelled  out  on  the  top  so  as  to  give  an  additional  room. 

The  shot-holes  beneath  the  window  sills  and  other  features  show  that 
this  was  a  building  of  the  Fourth  Period. 

*  We  are  indebted  to.Mr.  George  G.  Milne  for  the  drawings  of  this  castle. 


KKLLY    CASTLK 


—  599  — 


FOURTH    PKH10D 


i  i  1 1    i  i  i  i 


FIG.  549.— Ballinshoe  Castle.    Plans,  Section,  and  View. 


KELLY  CASTLE,  FORFARSHIRE. 

This  castle,  also  called  Auchterlony,  is  delightfully  situated  in  a  finely 
wooded  glen  on  the  right  bank  of  the  River  Elliot,  about  two  miles  south- 
west from  Arbroath.  It  was  the  seat  of  the  family  of  Elliot  from  the  four- 
teenth century  till  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  the  estate 
was  sold  to  Alexander  Irvine  of  Drum,  in  Aberdeenshire,  and 'was  after- 
wards acquired  by  the  Earl  of  Panmure.  The  castle  (Fig.  550)  is  a  struc- 
ture of  the  Fourth  Period,  of  considerable  height,  and  with  a  picturesque 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    600 


BALFLUIG   CASTLE 


arrangement  of  turrets.  After  standing  for  a  considerable  time  in  ruins 
it  has  within  recent  years  been  restored,  and  now  forms  a  commodious 
modern  mansion.  The  one-story  buildings  to  the  left  in  the  Sketch 


FIG.  550.— Kelly  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

form  one  side  of  a  small  entrance  courtyard,  entered  by  an  arched  gate- 
way, through  which  a  striking  view  is  obtained  of  the  older  buildings  with 
their  more  modern  additions  of  various  dates. 


LEITH  HALL,  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

A  large  mansion  near  Kennethmont  Station,  the  residence  of  Sir 
Andrew  Leith  Hay.  Built  in  1650,  it  still  retains  a  few  features  of  the 
Scottish  style  in  its  angle  turrets,  &c.  It  is  illustrated  in  Sir  A.  Leith 
Hay's  work  on  the  Castles  of  Aberdeenshire. 


BALFLUIG  CASTLE,  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

A  house  situated  about  one  mile  south  of  Alford.     It  is  a  tall  keep 
on  the  L  Plan,  which  has  been  modernised  and  converted  into  a  farm-house. 


TILLYCAIRN    CASTLE 


—    601    — 


FOURTH    PEIUOD 


WESTHALL,  ABKKDKENSHIRE. 

A  mansion,  to  which  a  large  modern  house  has  been  added,  situated 
about  one  mile  north  of  Oyne  Station.  The  old  portion  (Fig.  551)  is 
a  very  picturesque  specimen  of  the  Aberdeenshire  style  of  the  Fourth 
Period,  showing  a  copious  application  of  the  "  label  "  corbelling  so  common 


FIG.  551. — Westhall,  Aberdeenshire.    View  from  South-East. 

in  the  north.  The  plan  is  a  modification  of  the  L  form,  having  a  round 
tower  at  the  angle  of  the  main  block.  The  illustration  is  from  a  drawing 
by  Hullmandel  before  the  modern  additions  were  made. 

Westhall  belonged  to  the  Diocese  of  Aberdeen  from  the  thirteenth 
century.  At  the  Reformation  it  passed  to  the  family  of  Horn,  and 
afterwards  to  the  Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone  family. 


TILLYCAIRN  CASTLE,*  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

Tillycairn,  although  a  small  specimen,  is  nevertheless  a  pure  one,  of 

*  The  Plan  and  View  of  this  castle  are  from  the  sketch-book  of  the  late  Mr. 
Skene  of  Rubislaw,  to  whose  notes  we  are  also  indebted  for  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
description. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  602  — 


TILLYCAIRN    CASTLE 


the  L  Plan.  It  is  built  in  the  strongest  fashion,  having  the  angles 
rounded,  and  containing  four  stories  of  vaulted  apartments ;  but 
from  the  disproportionate  thickness  of  wall  to  a  building  of  so  small  a 
size,  the  lowness  of  the  vaults,  and  very  sparing  admission  of  light  and 
air,  it  is  but  a  dark,  prison-like,  and  uncomfortable  mansion.  It  exhibits 
the  usual  arrangements,  the  hall  engrossing  nearly  the  whole  of  the  first 
floor,  having  a  high  fireplace  at  one  end  and  an  arrangement  in  the  other 
which  does  not  argue  a  high  measure  of  refinement,  being  that  of  a  stone 
basin  in  the  window  recess  with  a  drain  to  the  outside — Scottice,  a 
"jaw-hole."  Above  the  fireplace  is  a  closet  constructed  in  the  wall  for 
concealment,  and  probably  the  arrangement  of  a  "lug;"  and  above  the 
space  is  divided  into  several  small  cells,  having  a  concealed  stair  in  the 
thickness  of  the  wall  communicating  with  them  from  the  corner  of  the 


FIG.  552.  — Tillycairn  Castle.    Plan  and  View. 

hall,  from  which  also  a  narrow  trap-stair  led  to  the  dungeon  below, 
presenting  in  all  respects  a  miniature  of  the  great  castle  arrangements  of 
the  Scottish  style.  A  very  heavy  projecting  cornice  of  good  workmanship 
encircles  the  building  at  the  top,  supporting  the  parapet  and  communicating 
with  the  corner  turrets.  The  whole  upper  part  of  the  building  displays 
greater  care  and  pretension  in  the  structure  and  dressing  of  the  stones 
than  the  lower  part,  which  is  extremely  rough  of  great  boulder  stones, 
some  of  great  dimensions,  to  the  extent  of  4  feet  thick.  The  defensive 
loops  deserve  notice,  being  different  from  the  usual  form.  Demonstration 
of  their  use  for  musketry  alone  consists  in  their  being  small  round  holes 
with  a  raking  level,  and  being  generally  set  two  together — one  immediately 
over  the  other,  so  as  to  give  the  means  of  an  uninterrupted  discharge  being 
kept  up. 


KH8LEMONT    CASTLE 


—  603  — 


FOUUTII    PE1UOD 


ESSLEMONT  CASTLE,*  ABERDEENSUIRK. 

This  castle  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Ellon,  and  is  in  a  state  of  com- 
plete ruin — being  roofless,  and  with  walls  greatly  broken  and  in  part  away, 


FIG.  553.— Esslemont  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

while  all  the  dressed  stones  of  the  windows  have  been  pulled  out  for  the 


Fio.  554.— Esslemont  Castle.    View  from  East. 


*  The  Sketches  of  Esslemont  (Figs.  554  and  555)  are  copied  from  pencil  drawings 
lent  us  by  H.  Wolridge  Gordon,  Esq. ,  who  also  kindly  prepared  the  Ground  Plan. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


_    604   — 


ESSLEMONT    CASTLE 


sake  of  building  material.     It  it  satisfactory  to  know  that  Mr.  Gordon 
will  allow  no  further  demolition  of  the  structure. 

The  building  (Fig.  553)  may  be  classed  with  the  castles  of  the  L  Plan, 
with  a  staircase  turret  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The  round  tower  at  the 
south  east  angle,  although  not  a  common  feature,  is  occasionally  added, 
as  at  Dundarave  Castle,  &c.  The  main  building  seems  on  the  ground 
floor  to  have  contained  the  kitchen,  with  a  wide  fireplace  in  the  north 
gable  ;  the  rugged  edges  of  the  ruined  sides  of  the  flue  being  visible  high 
up  in  the  gable  (Fig-  554).  The  round  tower  is  square  inside,  and  opens 


FIG.  555. — Esslemont  Castle.    View  from  South. 

from  the  kitchen,  while  the  room  in  the  wing  opens  from  the  staircase 
lobby.  The  building  contained  three  stories,  with  probably  a  high  room 
in  the  tower  of  the  re-entering  angle  (Fig.  555).  The  south-east  round 
tower  was  brought  out  to  the  square  at  the  top  by  means  of  corbelling, 
part  of  which  still  remains. 

It  is  believed  that  this  castle  was  originally  erected  by  Henry  Cheyne 
under  a  king's  licence  dated  1500.  It  ceased  to  be  regularly  occupied 
in  1625,  when  the  estate  passed  to  the  Errol  family.  In  1728  it  became 
the  property  of  the  Gordons,  and  may  have  been  partially  occupied  till 
1766,  when  the  existing  mansion  was  erected  in  its  vicinity. 


PITTULLIE    CASTLK 


—    605    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


PITTULLIE  CASTLE,  ABKRDEENSHIRE. 

A  ruinous  mansion  situated  about  three  or  four  miles  west  from 
Fraserburgh,  and  about  half  a  mile  from  Pitsligo  Castle.  It  consists 
of  an  oblong  block  with  a  square  tower  at  the  north-west  corner,  the 
latter  being  shown  in  Fig.  556.  The  main  portion  of  the  structure  (not 


Fio.  556.— Pittullie  Castle.     View  from  North-West 

illustrated)  is  a  low  building  with  round  angle  turrets,  the  corbelling  of 
which  commences  at  a  height  of  about  12  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
angle  windows  in  the  tower  are  quaint  and  peculiar.  We  do  not 
remember  any  others  of  precisely  the  same  design ;  but  they  recall  the 
form  of  the  angle  turrets  when  they  were  overcome  by  the  increasing 


FOURTH  PERIOD  -  606  -  FORDYCE  CASTLE 

gables  and  depressed  below  the  eaves  of  the  roof.  (See  Cawdor  Castle, 
Vol.  n.  p.  322.)  These  angle  windows  light  the  apartment  formerly 
known  as  "  the  laird's  room." 

According  to  Pratt,  the  dates  1651,  1674,  and  1727  are  to  be  found  on 
various  parts  of  the  building;  that  of  1651  shown  in  the  Sketch  is  from 
the  skew-stone  of  the  east  gable  of  the  main  building,  and  is  the  only  date 
we  observed. 

The  lands  of  Pittullie  were  held  in  the  fourteenth  century  by  the 
Erasers,  under  the  Douglases,  Lords  of  Abercorn  and  Aberdour,  for 
services.  In  1595-6,  by  a  contract  of  marriage  between  Alexander 
Fraser,  junior,  and  Mistress  Margaret  Abernethy  of  Saltoun,  Alexander 
Fraser  of  Fraserburgh  binds  himself  to  infeft  his  son  and  Mistress 
Margaret  on  the  lands  of  Nether  and  Over  "  Pettulies."  Probably  it  was 
in  connection  with  this  marriage  that  the  house  was  built.  The  heading 
of  a  holograph  Will  and  Testament  subscribed  by  Alexander  Fraser  at 
"  Pittuliej  the  threthi  day  of  Julii,  1650  yearis,"*  shows,  as  we  may 
reasonably  infer,  that  a  house  was  in  existence  there  some  time  before 
that  date.  The  arms  of  the  Frasers  of  Saltoun  were  visible  on  the 
castle  when  Pratt  wrote  about  twenty  years  ago.  The  place 
ultimately  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Cumines,  and  was  by  them 
enlarged  and  inhabited  down  to  about  1850.  It  is  now  fast  becoming 
a  shapeless  ruin. 


FORDYCE  CASTLE,!  BANFFSHIRE. 

A  small  sixteenth-century  tower,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  south- 
west of  Portsoy.  It  was  erected  by  Thomas  Menzies,  a  citizen  of 
Aberdeen,  whose  family  long  held  the  provostship  of  that  town.  The 
date  of  erection,  as  the  inscription  bears,  is  1592.  The  structure  is  still 
inhabited,  and  the  rooms  remain  practically  unaltered  since  that  time. 
It  consists  of  a  three-story  tower  with  wing  at  one  corner  (Fig.  559), 
which,  as  usual,  contains  the  entrance  door  and  staircase  to  the  first 
floor,  above  which  a  small  turret  staircase  corbelled  out  in  the  re- 
entering  angle  (Fig.  557)  leads  to  the  upper  rooms  in  the  tower  or 
wing.  The  top  story  has  the  usual  angle  turrets.  At  a  later  time 
a  wing  containing  a  separate  house  has  been  added  at  one  end  (see 
Elevations,  Fig.  558). 

*  Information  from  privately  printed  History  of  the,  Frasers  of  Philorth. 
t  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  William  Cramond,  schoolmaster,  Cullen,  for  informa- 
tion, and  for  the  Plans  and  Elevations  of  the  building. 


FORDYCE    CASTLE 


—    607    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


FIG.  557.--Fordyce  Castle.    View. 


Fia.  558. — Fordyce  Castle.    Elevations. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    608    — 


FINDOCHTY    CASTLB 


FLOOR 


GROUND 


FLOOR 


Fm.  559.— Fordyce  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor,  First  Floor,  and  Second  Floor. 


FINDOCHTY  CASTLE,*  BANFFSHIRK. 

A  ruined  structure  of  the  L  Plan,  consisting  of  a  vaulted  ground  floor 
with  the  entrance  doorway  at  the  south  end,  and  a  staircase  in  the  wing 
at  the  north  end,  entered  through  the  ground  floor.  This  leads  to  the 
hall  on  the  first  floor,  and  was  apparently  continued  up  to  the  second 
floor.  Part  of  the  enclosing  wall  along  the  low  rocky  site  still  exists,  and 
has  been  used  as  the  back  wall  of  a  cottage  now  in  ruins.  There  are 
mouldings  round  the  staircase  and  other  windows,  but  they  are  much 
obliterated,  having  been  executed  in  soft  freestone. 

*  From  information  kindly  supplied  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  Miller  of  Buckie. 


ELCHIES,    EASTER 


—    609    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


The  castle  stands  a  short  distance  north  of  the  Great  North  of  Scotland 
Railway,  about  half-way  between  Findochty  and  Portessie  Stations.  It 
was  formerly  at  the  west  end  of  a  small  loch,  which  is  now  drained,  and 
commands  a  fine  view  westwards.  Little  is  known  of  its  history. 


BOHARM  OR  GOULDWELL  CASTLE,  BANFFSHIRE. 

A  ruin  standing  on  the  sloping  south  bank  of  the  Fiddich,  about  two 
miles  east  from  Craigellachie.  It  is  now  reduced  to  mere  foundations,  but 
seems  to  have  been  a  long  structure  of  the  L  Plan. 


ELCHIES,  EASTER,  MORAYSHIRE. 

An  old  Scottish  house  (Fig.  560)  on  the  high  northern  bank  of  the  Spey, 
about  a  mile  above  Craigellachie.  It  belonged  to  Patrick  Grant,  Lord 
Elchies  (1690-1754),  from  whose  time  the  building  is  said  to  date,  but  we 


Fia.  560.— Elchies,  Easter.    View  from  South-Hast. 

are  inclined  to  think  it  must  be  older.  It  was  almost  rebuilt  in  1857,  but 
the  restored  structure  well  preserves  the  old  Scottish  character.  In  the 
west  wall  there  is  a  panel  with  the  monogram  J.  E.  S.  and  the  date  1700. 
The  house  is  now  the  property  of  the  Seafield  family. 

2Q 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   610   — 


ASLISK   CASTLE 


ELCHTES,  WESTER,  MORAYSHIRE. 

This  edifice,  situated  about  two  miles  further  up  the  river  than  Easter 
Elchies,  and  on  the  same  side,  shows  some  remains  of  an  old  Scottish 


Fio.  561.— Elchies,  Wester.    View  from  South-West. 

mansion  (Fig.  561)  of  the  seventeenth  century,  to  which  a  large 
castellated  structure  has  been  added  in  modern  times  by  the  late 
J.  W.  Grant,  Esq. 


ASLISK  CASTLE,  MORAYSHIRE. 

A  mere  fragment  is  all  that  now  remains  of  what  was  up  till  1799  an 
extensive  and  interesting  pile,  as  is  apparent  from  the  annexed  View 
(Fig.  562)  as  it  then  stood,  reproduced  from  an  unpublished  drawing  by 
J.  Claude  Nattes  made  in  that  year.  The  View  is  taken  from  the 
south-east.  There  now  only  remains  the  part  of  the  west  gable  shown 
in  the  Sketch  (Fig.  563). 


CASTLE   GRANT 


—  611  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Fio.  562.— Aslisk  Castle.    View  from  South- East. 


Fia.  563.— Aslisk  Castle.    West  Gable 


CASTLE  GRANT,  MORAYSHIUE. 

This  great  pile,  the  chief  seat  of  the  Grants — now  possessed  by 
the  Countess  of  Seafield — exhibits  the  characteristics  of  the  castle  of  the 
sixteenth  century  as  modified  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  The  original  building  was  designed  on  the  L  Plan,  with  the 
wing  projected  so  as  to  protect  two  sides  of  the  main  block.  This  portion 
of  the  edifice,  with  its  original  corbelled  parapet,  is  seen  in  both  Sketches 
(Figs.  564  and  565).  The  main  structure  was  an  oblong  block  running 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    612    — 


CASTLE    GRANT 


from  east  to  west,  which  contained  the  hall  over  a  vaulted  basement. 
These  arrangements  still  exist,  the  hall,  which  is  now  the  dining-room, 
being  about  50  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide,  lighted  with  the  large  windows 
next  the  angle  tower  seen  in  the  Sketch  (Fig.  564).  The  castle  at  that 
time  faced  the  south,  the  entrance  being  doubtless  in  the  re-entering 
angle,  with  a  wide  staircase  in  the  wing  leading  to  the  first  floor,  above 
which  the  staircase  turret  seen  in  the  Sketch  would  conduct  to  the  upper 


FIG.  564.— Castle  Grant.    View  from  South-East. 

floors.     The  space  now  converted  into  a  raised  terrace  would  then  be  the 
courtyard  containing  the  offices. 

Sir  Ludovic  Grant  (1743-73),  who  was  a  great  builder,  and  who 
designed  the  plan  of  the  town  of  Grantown,  completely  enveloped  the  old 
castle  in  new  constructions  which  he  erected  around  it.  He  added  a  front 
80  feet  long  along  the  north  side,  containing  a  new  entrance  hall,  wide 
staircase,  &c. ;  and  at  the  east  end  a  structure  70  feet  long,  containing  the 


DUNDARAVE   CASTLE 


—   613   — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


drawing-room.  These  fronts  are  very  plain,  and  are  carried  up  four 
stories  in  height,  and  provide  large  accommodation.  The  same  Laird  of 
Grant  added  the  wings  to  the  south,  containing  offices  and  servants' 


FIG.  565.  -Castle  Grant.    View  from  South-West. 


apartments,  together  with  the  raised  terrace  and  stair  leading  to  it. 
These  buildings  all  bear  the  character  of  the  "  park  house "  of  the 
eighteenth  century. 


DUNDARAVE  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

/ 

A  castle  standing  on  a  promontory  on  the  west  side  of  Loch  Fyne,  about 
four  miles  north  of  Inveraray,  and  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  family  of 
Macnaughton.  It  is  one  of  the  few  well-preserved  structures  of  the  West 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    614   — 


DUNDARAVE   CASTLE 


6RQLJ  ND 

FLOOR  PLAN 


FIRST  FLOOR 
PLAN 


FIG.  566.—  Dundarave  Castle.    Plans  of  Ground  Floor  and  First  Floor. 


Fio.  567.— Dundarave  Castle.    View  from  North- West. 


DUNDARAVE   CASTLE 


—    615   — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


Highlands,  and  valuable  as  showing  that  the  Scottish  style  of  building 
was  practised  during  the  sixteenth  century  in  this  remote  region  as  well 
as  in  the  more  central  districts  of  the  country.  It  is  designed  on  the 
L  Plan  (Fig.  566),  with  a  break  in  the  re-entering  angle,  which  contains 
the  entrance  doorway  and  principal  staircase.  The  ground  floor  contains 


Fio.  568. — Dundarave  Castle.    View  from  South. 

the  usual  arrangements  of  the  kitchen,  with  a  large  fireplace  and  vaulted 
cellars,  one  of  which  has  a  small  staircase  communicating  with  the  hall, 
while  another  communicates  with  the  private  room  by  means^  of  a  small 
circular  stair.  On  the  first  floor  there  are,  as  usual,  the  hall  and 
private  room,  and  the  three  upper  floors  contained  the  bedrooms. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    616   — 


DUNDARAVE   CASTLE 


Almost  the  only  peculiarity  of   the   plan   is   the  addition   of   a   round 
tower  at  the  north-west  salient  angle  of  the  L  (Fig.  567).     This  is  well 


FIG.  569.—  Dundarave  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

provided  with  shot-holes  for  defensive  purposes — a  not  unnatural   pro- 
vision in  this  somewhat  unruly  district  at  the  period  of  the  erection  of  the 


DUNDARAVE    CASTLE 


—    617    — 


FOURTII    PERIOD 


Pio.  570.— Dundarave  Castle.    Entrance  Doorway. 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


618  BARCALDINE  CASTLE 


castle  in  1596.  The  elevations  (Figs.  568  and  569)  show  that  the  external 
aspect  of  the  building  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  majority  of  Scottish 
houses  of  the  time,  the  gables  being  finished  with  crow-steps,  and  partly 
plain  and  partly  provided  with  turrets  at  the  angles,  while  the  roof  line  is 
broken  with  simple  dormers.  The  entrance  doorway  (Fig.  570)  is,  however, 
ornamented  in  a  remarkable  manner,  the  mouldings  being  enriched  with 
the  dog-tooth  ornament  and  the  jambs  adorned  with  sculptures  of  various 
kinds.  These  are  now  much  weather-worn,  but  seem  to  have  chiefly 
represented  human  heads.  One  figure  is  still  traceable,  and  shows  the 
Highland  piper  of  the  period  in  full  operation.  The  inscription  over  the 
doorway  gives  the  date  of  the  building  (1596),  with  the  initials  of  the 
owner  and  his  wife —I.  M.  and  A.  N. — and  the  admonition,  "  Behold  the 
end :  be  not  wiser  than  the  highest,"  together  with  the  family  motto,  "  I 
hope  in  God."  Above  the  doorway  is  the  usual  panel  for  the  coat  of 
arms,  enriched  in  an  extraordinary  degree,  with  the  early  dog-tooth,  billet, 
and  nail-head  ornaments,  which  we  so  frequently  find  revived  in  the 
Fourth  Period,  but  showing  an  amount  of  refinement  which  one  would 
scarcely  expect  in  the  Highlands  at  that  date. 


BARCALDINE  CASTLE,  ARGYLLSHIRE. 

A  castle  or  mansion  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  571),  built  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  It  stands  on  the  ridge  of  the  land  on  the  south  side  of  Loch 
Creran,  and  about  four  miles  north  from  Connel  Ferry.  This  castle, 


FIG.  571.—  Barcaldine  Castle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 


according  to  the  Black  Book  of  Taymouth,  was  erected  in  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century  by  Sir  Duncan  Campbell  of  Glenorchy.  He  was  a  man 
of  education  and  distinction,  had  travelled  in  France  and  Flanders, 


BARCALDINE    CASTLE 


—    619    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


and  did  much  to  improve  the  condition  of  his  part  of  the  Highlands. 
He  died  in  1631,  and  was  succeeded  by  Sir  Colin,  the  eighth  Laird 
of  Glenorchy.  The  existing  structure  (Fig.  572)  corresponds  with  the 


5V 


Ficr.  572. — Barcaldine  Castle.    View  from  South-East. 

style  common  at  his  date,  although  from  the  quaint  coat  of  arms  over  the 
doorway,  which  contains  the  date  of  1690  (Fig.  573)  it  might  be  supposed 
to  owe  its  origin  to  a  somewhat  later  period.  In  plan  it  recalls  the  Castle 
of  Finlarig,  likewise  one  of  the  seats  of  the 
Campbells  of  Breadalbane,  and  erected  by  the 
above  Sir  Colin.  The  break  of  the  wing  towards 
the  west  is  a  sure  sign  of  a  late  construction.  On 
the  basement,  which  is  vaulted,  may  be  seen  the 
usual  kitchen  and  cellars,  one  of  the  latter  having 
the  ordinary  narrow  stair  communicating  with 
the  hall.  On  the  first  floor  there  was  a  hall  37 
feet  long  by  19  feet  wide,  and  a  private  room 
in  the  wing.  Above  this  were  another  story 
and  attics.  The  exterior  shows  further  signs  of 
a  late  date  in  the  large  turrets,  which  occur  on 
some  of  the  angles  only,  but  no  very  prominent 
features  mark  the  design.  The  well-preserved 
iron  yett  and  iron  gratings  over  the  windows  are,  however,  note- 
worthy. 

Sir  Colin,  the  eighth  laird,  was  a  student,  and  a  man  of  taste,  delight- 


Fio.  573.— Barcaldine  Castle. 
Arms  over  Doorway. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  620  — 


INVERGARRY   CASTLE 


ing  in  rich  furniture  and  hangings  and  other  decorations.  At  his  Castle 
of  Balloch  (Taymouth)  he  employed  German  artists  to  paint  the  house  and 
furnish  it  with  portraits  ;  and  amongst  others  he  gave  encouragement  to 
Jameson,  the  father  of  Scottish  painters.*  Barcaldine  no  doubt  also 
shared  his  attention,  but  it  is  now  a  roofless  ruin,  and  all  signs  of  decora- 
tion or  comfort  have  entirely  vanished. 


INVERGARRY  CASTLE,  INVERNESS-SHIRE. 

A  ruinous  mass  of  building  on  the  thickly-wooded  and  precipitous  north 
bank  of  Loch  Oich,  near  the  centre  of  the  Caledonian  Canal,  which  pre- 
sents to  the  numerous  travellers  who  annually  sail  up  and  down  that  mag- 
nificent valley  one  of  the  most  picturesque  objects  of  the  route.  It  was  the 
stronghold  of  the  Macdonnels,  and  was  occupied  by  the  chief  of  the  clan 
till  1746,  when  it  was  burned  and  destroyed  by  the  Duke  of  Cumberland. 
Prince  Charlie  is  said  to  have  twice  found  shelter  within  its  walls.  The 


PIG.  574. — Invergarry  Castle.    Plan  of  Ground  Floor. 

existing  building  seems  from  its  style  to  have  been  erected  towards  the 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  is  designed  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  574), 
with  an  oblong  staircase  tower  in  the  re-entering  angle  and  a  round  tower 
at  the  north-east  angle  of  the  main  building,  which  also  contained  a  stair- 
case. The  main  building  measures  about  55  feet  by  32  feet  over  the  walls, 
which  have  been  carried  to  the  height  of  five  stories.  The  wing,  which 
was  on  the  west  or  landward  side,  has  been  almost  entirely  demolished,  but 
enough  remains  to  enable  the  plan  to  be  traced.  The  entrance  doorway  is 
in  the  north  wall  of  the  wing,  and  has  an  architrave  moulding  (Fig.  575). 
Opposite  the  entrance  a  good  square  staircase  seems  to  have  led  to  the  first 
*  See  Professor  Cosmo  Innes's  Sketches  of  Early  Scotch  History,  pp.  346  and  349. 


INVEUGARRY    CASTLE 


—    621    — 


FOURTH    PEKIOD 


floor,  above  which  level  the  two  next  upper  floors  were  reached  by  the  very 
unusual  form  of  a  square  or  scale  staircase  in  the  oblong  tower  in  the 
re-entering  angle.  Some  portions  of  this  stair  still  remain.  The  angle  tower 
hus  been  carried  up  six  stories  in  height,  the  two  top  stories  being  rooms 


FIG.  575.— Invergarry  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 

approached  by  a  circular  stair  turret,  some  fragments  of  which  still  cling  to 
it  (see  Fig.  575).  An  angular  shot-hole  guards  the  entrance  door,  and  there 
are  also  shot-holes  in  the  two  small  vaulted  cellars  under  the  staircase  and 
square  tower.  The  main  building  contained  the  hall  on  the  first  floor,  a 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—   622    — 


JNVERGARRY   CASTLE 


noble  apartment  of  45  feet  by  22  feet.  The  ground  floor  probably  contained 
the  kitchen,  &c.,  but  it  was  not  vaulted.  The  staircase  in  the  round  tower 
at  the  north-east  angle  (Fig.  576)  may  have  been  the  private  access  to  the 


--'•3 


PIG.  576.—  Invergarry  Castle.    View  from  South- West. 

family  apartments.  The  building  must  have  contained  a  large  amount  of 
accommodation,  but  it  is  now  too  ruinous  to  enable  the  plans  to  be  dis- 
tinctly made  out. 


RRDCASTLK 


_  623  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


REDCASTLE,*  ROSS-SHIRE. 

A  modern  mansion  in  which  several  portions  of  an  older  edifice  have 
been  incorporate/1  with  good  effect.  It  stands  about  six  and  a  half  miles 
west  of  Inverness,  on  high  ground,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Beauly  Frith, 
over  which  it  commands  a  fine  view,  extending  from  Inverness  to  Beauly. 
The  building  seems  to  have  been  originally  a  structure  of  an  elongated 
L  Plan  (Fig.  577),  with  a  staircase  turret  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The 
hall  would  in  that  case  occupy  the  large  central  apartment,  with  the 
private  room  at  the  east  end,  and  probably  the  withdrawing- room  at 
the  west  end.  The  small  apartment  which  fills  up  the  angle  in  front  of 
the  staircase  tower  is  a  more  modern  addition ;  indeed,  almost  all  the 
external  features  may  be  so  regarded,  but  the  angles  at  which  they  are 
set  to  one  another,  and  the  mode  in  which  the  design  is  carried  out,  pro- 


Fio.  577.— Redcastle.    Plan  of  First  Floor. 

duce  a  picturesque  effect.  The  two  angle  turrets  on  the  west  wing  (Fig. 
578),  with  their  corbelling,  are  of  some  age.  At  this  end  the  ground  dips 
rapidly  towards  a  small  burn,  and  the  buttressing  and  intakes  of  the  base 
add  to  the  character  of  the  design.  The  turret  at  the  east  end  probably 
contained  a  private  staircase  from  the  private  room  to  the  bedroom  floor 
above.  The  dormer  windows,  we  understand,  were  brought  from  Inver- 
ness. A  corridor  recently  erected  along  the  front  is  omitted  in  the 
Sketch. 

From  the  above  particulars  it  is  evident  that  this  structure  is  not  of 
great  age,  probably  not  earlier  than  the  sixteenth  century  ;  but  it  occupies 
the  site  of  a  much  older  castle.  It  was  here  that  William  the  Lion,  in  the 
twelfth  century,  erected  the  fortress  of  Ederdour,  to  strengthen  his 
position  in  the  country  north  of  the  Beauly  Frith,  which  he  had  just 
*  We  have  to  thank  Mr.  Bryce  for  the  Plan  of  this  mansion. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  624  — 


REDCASTLE 


acquired  as  an  addition  to  his  Scottish  kingdom.  In  1179  he  also 
constructed  another  castle  in  the  Black  Isle,  called  Ormond  or  Avoch 
Castle.  This  fortress  was  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Frith  of 
Inverness,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Bay  of  Munlochy.  In  the  Proceedings 
of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland,  1884-5,  p.  400,  an  account  of  the 
foundations  of  this  castle  is  given  by  Mr.  Angus  J.  Beaton,  C.E.,  from 


FIG.  578.— Redcastle.    View  from  South. 

which  it  would  seem  to  have  been  a  large  rectangular  enclosure,  about  150 
feet  long  by  100  feet  wide,  strengthened  with  towers  at  the  angles  and 
several  ditches  and  outworks.  It  would  thus  bear  considerable  resemblance 
to  the  simple  specimens  of  the  castles  of  the  First  Period,  such  as  Castle 
Roy,  near  Grantown,  Kinclaven,  &c.  There  can  be  little  doubt  but  that 
these  castles  are  for  the  most  part  prior  to  Bruce's  time  ;  and  this  one,  if 


CASTLE    LEOD 


—    625    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


it  could  be  proved  to  be  the  original  one,  would  carry  back  the  style  of 
the  First  Period  to  an  earlier  date  than  has  yet  been  ascertained. 

The  Castle  of  Redcastle  belonged  in  1230  to  Sir  John  Bysset,  in  1278 
to  Sir  Andrew  de  Bosco,  and  in  1455  the  Black  Isle  or  Ardmannache 
was  annexed  to  the  Crown. 


CASTLE  LEOD,*  CROMARTY. 

This  interesting  and  well-preserved  specimen  of  the  dwellings  of  our 
Highland  chiefs  is  pleasantly  situated  near  the  village  of  Strathpeffer,  in 
the  midst  of  splendid  old  trees  and  a  well-kept  park. 


Pio.  579.— Castle  Leod.    View  from  North-East. 


*  We  are  indebted  for  the  Plans  of  Castle  Leod  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Gunn,  the 
factor  on  the  estate,  and  Mr.  Joass,  architect,  Dingwall. 

2R 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


—  626  — 


CASTLE  LEOD 


CASTLE  LEOD 


627  — 


FOURTH  PKHIOD 


Sir  William  Fraser,  in  his  Earls  of  Cromartie,  states  that  Castle 
Leod  was  built  by  Sir  Rorie  Mackenzie,  and  was  one  of  the  seats  of  his 
descendants,  the  Earls  of  Cromarty.  It  still  belongs  to  the  same  family, 
in  the  person  of  the  Duchess  of  Sutherland.  The  dormers  on  the  north 
side  (seen  in  Fig.  579)  contain  the  initials  R.  M.K.,  for  the  said  Roderick 


Fio.  581.— Castle  Leod.    View  from  South-West. 

(or  Rorie)  Mackenzie,  and  M.  M.C.,  for  Margaret  M'Leod,  his  wife,  with 
the  date  1616 ;  while  the  details  of  the  building  correspond  with  that  period. 
As  originally  designed,  the  castle  has  been  a  modification  of  the  L  Plan 
(Fig.  580),  the  wing  being  projected  beyond  the  north  side  of  the  main 
block.  At  a  slightly  later  date  the  re-entering  angle  between  the  main 
building  and  the  wing  has  been  nearly  filled  up  with  an  addition,  the 
object  of  which  was  to  provide  a  wide  square  staircase  to  the  first  floor  (a 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    628    — 


BRIMS    CASTLE 


convenience  which  was  considered  essential  as  the  seventeenth  century 
progressed),  and  also  to  furnish  some  additional  bedrooms  in  the  different 
floors.  This  is  apparent  from  the  great  thickness  of  the  central  wall, 
which  was  originally  the  southern  external  wall,  and  from  the  way  in 
which  the  addition  is  fitted  on  to  the  older  structure.  The  original  castle 
has  had  an  open  parapet  at  the  wall-head,  with  bartizans  at  the  angles  like 
those  shown  in  the  North-East  View  (Fig.  579)  ;  but  the  newer  addition  (as 
seen  in  the  South- West  View,  Fig.  581)  covers  up  this  parapet  on  the  original 
front  wall,  and  is  carried  up  a  story  higher,  and  finished  with  ornamental 
dormers  and  pyramidal-roofed  turrets,  such  as  were  usual  at  a  somewhat 
later  date ;  some  of  the  other  angle  turrets  and  dormers  were  also  probably 
added  at  the  same  time.  The  entrance  door,  which  is  in  the  addition,  has 
been  ornamented  with  a  large  and  elaborately  carved  coat  of  arms,  which 
is  now  illegible.  The  ground  floor  contains  the  kitchen  in  the  wing  and 
cellars  in  the  main  block.  Above  the  latter,  on  the  first  floor,  was  the  hall 
(32  feet  6  inches  by  20  feet),  with  a  large  fireplace  at  one  end  and  private 
room  in  the  wing  (now  converted,  along  with  part  of  the  addition,  into 
the  drawing-room).  The  three-  upper  floors  provide  numerous  bedrooms. 


BRIMS  CASTLE,*  CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

This  example  of  a  late  keep  (Fig.  583),  with  small  wing  to  contain  the 
staircase,  is  situated  near  the  coast,  about  six  miles  west  from  Thurso.    The 


Fio.  582.  —Brims  Castle.    View  from  North-East. 


*  The  drawings  of  this  castle  and  notes  regarding  it  have  been  kindly  supplied 
to  us  by  the.Rev.  A.  Miller. 


BRIMS    CASTLE 


—    629    — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


lowest  flight  of  the  staircase  is  now  built  up,  and  may  have  been  so  con- 
structed from  the  first,  the  entrance  to  the  keep  being  on  the  first  floor, 
where  it  gives  access  to  the  staircase.  A  trap  in  the  floor  of  the  hall  com- 
municates with  the  basement,  which  is  vaulted.  There  is  also  the  usual 
small  private  staircase  from  the  hall  to  the  cellar.  Two  floors  occur  above 
the  hall,  each  containing  a  single  room  16  feet  by  14  feet.  The  arrange- 
ments of  the  plan  recall  such  examples  as  Coxton  and  Hallbar.  At  the 


ATTIC  fLOOR  PLAN 


SECOND  R.OOP 


FIG.  583.— Brims  Castle.    Plans. 

upper  landing  of  the  staircase  a  rounded  bartizan  or  turret  (Fig.  582)  pro- 
jects immediately  over  the  entrance  doorway,  which  it  seems  to  have  been 
designed  to  protect ;  the  corbelling  is  of  a  late  date.  Between  the  keep 
and  the  rocks  lay  the  courtyard,  a  moulded  and  arched  gate  from  which 
still  leads  down  towards  the  sea.  The  structure  filling  up  the  angle  to 
the  west  of  the  staircase  is  probably  a  kitchen  added  at  a  later  'date.  The 
building  is  now  used  in  connection  with  a  farm-steading,  and  has  been  a 
little  added  to  and  altered,  but  still  preserves  its  original  character. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—  630 


DOWNREAY    CASTLE 


DOWNREAY  CASTLE,*  CAITHNESS-SHIRE. 

A  structure  on  the  L  Plan  (Fig.  584),  situated  at  the  extreme  north-west 
angle  of  Caithness-shire,  and  is  the  only  castle  in  that  part  of  the  county. 
The  castle  existed  in  1614,  and  was  then  the  property  of  William  Sinclair 
of  Dunbeath,  who  was  that  year  besieged  in  it  by  the  brother  of  the  Earl 
of  Caithness.  It  was  conveyed  to  Lord  Forbes,  who  sold  it  to  Sir  Donald 
Mackay  in  1624.  The  castle  was  occupied  by  Cromwell's  soldiers,  and 


GROUND  FLOOR 


FIRST   FLOOR 


ALL    CARRIED 


SECOND  FLOOR 


TOP  FLOOR 


FIG.  584.— Downreay  Castle.    Plans. 

continued  to  be  inhabited  till  1863,  but  has  since  been  allowed  to  fall  into 
ruin. 

It  is  interesting  to  find  in  this  remote  and  unsettled  district  a  mansion 

so  completely  Scottish  in  style  (Fig.  585).     The  ground  floor  consists  of 

cellars,   but   is   not   vaulted.      The    entrance    door    occupies    the    usual 

position  in  the  re-entering  angle,  and  was  defended  with  the  ordinary  sliding 

*  These  Plans  and  particulars  are  kindly  supplied  by  the  Rev.  A.  Miller. 


ARDVRECK    CASTLE 


—  631  — 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


bar  and  shot-holes.  A  good  square  staircase  leads  to  the  first  floor,  from 
the  landing  of  which  a  small  newel  stair  within  the  wall  (which  is  thickened 
to  receive  it)  leads  to  the  upper  floor.  From  the  room  over  the  principal 
staircase  another  small  stair  leads  to  the  top  floor  of  the  tower,  and  a 


FIG.  585.— Downreay  Castle. 

central  wooden  stair  to  the  attics  over  the  main  building.  On  the  first 
floor  there  are  the  hall  and  private  room,  the  window  recesses  being 
fitted  with  seats  and  small  cupboards  and  garde-robes  in  the  walls,  &c.  In 
every  respect  it  seems  to  be  almost  precisely  the  same  as  the  houses  of 
similar  capacity  erected  in  the  Lowlands  about  the  same  period. 


ARDVRECK  CASTLE,*  SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 

Not  far  from  the  eastern  end  of  Loch  Assynt  stand  two  ruinous  but 
interesting  buildings.  One  of  these  is  the  old  Castle  of  Ardvreck,  the 
residence  of  Neil  Macleod,  the  Laird  of  Assynt,  who  in  1650  apprehended 
James  Graham,  Marquis  of  Montrose,  and  secured  him  in  this  keep. 

The  castle  was  built  towards  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century.  It 
*  We  have  to  thank  J.  W.  Burns,  Esq.,  for  drawings  and  particulars  of  this  castle. 


FOURTH    PERIOD 


—    632    — 


ARDVRECK    CASTLE 


occupies  the  neck  of  a  long  rocky  peninsula  on  the  north-east  side  of  the 
loch  and  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  its  head.  The  other  structure 
is  Edderchalder  or  Calda  House,  which  stands  at  the  south-east  point  of 
the  loch,  and  was  erected  in  1660  by  Kenneth  Mackenzie,  third  Earl  of 
Seaforth.  The  two  buildings  are  both  seen  in  the  Sketch  (Fig.  586),  which 
shows  the  ruins  of  Edderchalder  in  the  foregrouud  and  Ardvreck  in  the 
distance.  The  traveller  is  surprised  in  passing  through  this  wild  region, 
where  the  ruins  of  ancient  castles  are  almost  unknown,  to  come  suddenly 
on  two  such  specimens,  standing  close  together.  The  last  castle  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  the  middle  of  last  century.  The  Seafield  estates, 


FIG.  586.— Edderchaider  and  Ardvreck  Castles. 

being  forfeited,  were  purchased  in  1758  by  the  Earl  of  Sutherland,  and  the 
whole  parish  is  the  property  of  the  present  duke. 

The  plan  (Fig.  587)  shows  the  condition  of  Ardvreck  Castle  to  be  very 
fragmentary,  but  it  has  evidently  been  a  simple  keep,  with  a  round  stair- 
case tower  at  the  south-east  angle,  corbelled  out  on  the  upper  floors  to  form 
square  rooms.  The  small  turret  stair  to  the  upper  rooms  is,  as  usual, 
carried  on  corbelling  in  the  re-entering  angle.  The  ground  floor  was 
divided  into  three  compartments,  all  vaulted.  That  on  the  south  side  is 
a  mere  passage,  3  feet  9  inches  wide,  into  which  the  entrance  door 
probably  opened  from  the  east,  and  by  the  passage  access  was  obtained  to 
the  other  vaults  and  to  the  staircase.  From  the  loopholes  pierced  in  the 
south  wall  the  passage  was  also  evidently  intended  as  a  place  of  defence. 


EDDERCHALDER  OR  CALDA  HOUSE —  633  


FOURTH  PERIOD 


There  seem  to  have  been  four  stories  above  the  basement  floor.  The  first 
floor  would,  as  usual,  be  occupied  by  the  hall,  to  which  a  wide  wheel-stair- 
case in  the  angle  tower  would  give  access.  This  floor  has  also  been 
vaulted,  and  the  upper  floors  simply  joisted.  The  corbelling  out  of  the 
tower,  to  the  square  from  the  round  (see  Fig.  587),  is  effected  in  a  very 
simple  manner  by  squared  flagstones,  pushed  out  one  over  the  other.  That 


Pio.  587.— Ardvreck  Castle.    Plan  and  View. 

of  the  angle  turret,  which  is  6  feet  lower  than  the  other,  has  rounded 
corbels  of  the  ordinary  type,  finished  off  with  one  Old  Gothic -shaped 
course  on  top,  above  which  flat  stones  bring  the  angular  stair  turret  to  a 
straight  face. 

EDDERCHALDER  or  CALDA  HOUSE  is  much  decayed,  but  its  general  plan 
is  quite  distinguishable.     It  is  an  oblong  block  (see  Fig.  586),  divided  into 


FOURTH  PERIOD 


—  634  — EDDERCHALDER  OK  CALDA  HOUSE 


two  by  a  longitudinal  wall  down  the  centre.  It  has  thus  the  peculiarity  of 
being  a  double  house,  with  apartments  lit  by  windows  on  one  side  only. 
Each  of  the  two  divisions  of  the  block  has  a  separate  roof,  which  thus  forms 
a  double  gable  at  each  end.  The  structure  has  two  full  stories  and  an  attic, 
and  each  half  of  every  floor  seems  to  have  been  divided  into  three  compart- 
ments, thus  providing  space  for  five  apartments  and  a  central  staircase  on 
each  floor.  The  chimneys  are  arranged  for  such  a  division,  there  being 
one  in  each  gable  on  every  floor  and  several  in  the  central  stack. 


Dovecot  in  Burns  Street,  Leith 


INDEX. 


ABEKUCHILL  CASTLE,  description,  582. 

Achallader  Castle,  description  585. 

Achanduin  Castle,  description,  75. 

Achincass  Castle,  description,  105. 

Ackergill  Tower,  description,  250. 

Ailsa  Craig  Castle,  description,  206. 

Anderson,  Dr  Joseph,  3. 

Anderson,  William,  architect  (Gamels- 
cleuch),  403  ;  (Blackhouse),  404  ;  (Oak- 
wood),  408;  (Minto),  420;  (Hillslap 
Tower,  Colmslie,  and  Langshaw),  547  ; 
(Buckholm),  551. 

Anstruther  Manse,  description,  560. 

Ardchonnel  Castle,  description,  87 ; 
Donald  Dubh  prisoner  at,  89. 

Ardrossan  Castle,  description,  301. 

Ardstinchar  Castle,  description,  302  ; 
monument  at,  304. 

Ardtornish  Castle,  description,  122. 

Ardvreck  Castle,  description,  631. 

Armstrong,  R.  B.  (Hollows),  217 ;  (Bon- 
shaw),  400. 

Arnot  Tower,  description,  245. 

Aros  Castle,  description  125. 

Aslisk  Castle,  description,  610. 

Auchen  Castle,  105. 

Auchenvole,  description,  474. 

Auchinleck  Castle,  description,  496. 

Auchterlony  or  Kelly  Castle,  descrip- 
tion, 599. 

BAIKD,  JOHN  (Stonebyres),  438  ;  (Haggs), 

478. 

Balcruivie.     See  Pitcruivie. 
Balfour  Castle,  description,  337. 
Balfluig  Castle,  600. 
Balhousie  Castle,  description,  585. 
Baliol  Castle.     See  Loch  Doon. 
Ballantrae,  Kennedy  monument,  304. 
Ballinshoe  Castle,  description,  598. 
Ballumbie  Castle,  description,  158. 


Balmanno  Castle,  description,  579. 
Balmuto  Tower,  description,  247. 
Baltersan  Castle,  description,  502. 
Balthayock  Castle,  description  132. 
Bandon  Tower,  description,  456. 
Bannachra  Castle,  description,  445. 
Bannatyne  House,  description,  592. 
Barcaldine  Castle,  description,  618. 
Bardowie  Castle,  description,  236. 
Barholm  Castle,  description,  520. 
Barns  Tower,  description,  414. 
Barr  Castle,   Lochwinnoch,  description, 

183. 

Tower,  Galston,  description,  201. 

Barscobe  House,  description,  523. 
Bavelaw  Castle,  description,  531. 
Bedlay  House,  description,  467. 
Bemersyde  Castle,  description,  220. 
Billie  Castle,  description,  220. 
Billings,  R.  W.,  work  at  Dalzell,  316. 
Bishopton,  Old,  description,  489. 
Blackhouse  Castle,  description,  404. 
Blackness  Castle,  description,  225. 
Blairlogie  Castle,  description,  577. 
Blanc,  H.  J.  (Loch  Ranza),  490. 
Boddam  Castle,  description,  250. 
Boghall  Castle,  description,  320. 
Boharm  or  Gould  well  Castle,  609. 
Bonhard,  description,  533. 
Bonshaw  Tower,  description,  398. 
Borve  Castle,  description,  115. 
Bow  Windows,  36. 
Braal  Castle,  description,  137. 
Breacacha  Castle,  description,  117. 
Bridge  Castle,  description,  275. 
Brims  Castle,  description,  628. 
Brochs,  3. 

Brodick  Castle,  description,  285. 
Brace's  Castle,  Stirlingshire,  description, 

245. 

-  Turnberry,  description,  110. 


INDEX 


—  636  — 


CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


Bryce,  John  (Dalhousie),  144;  (Craig- 
nish),  173;  (Kames),  192;  (Sorn), 
200  ;  (Guthrie),  248  ;  (Ackergill),  250  ; 
(Stonebyres),  438  ;  (Redcastle),  623. 

Bucholie  Castle,  description,  338. 

Buckholm  Castle,  description,  551. 

Burns,  J.  W.  (Castle  Maoil),  172 ;  (Castle 
Varrich),  253  ;  (Kilmahew),  443 ;  (Ard- 
vreck),  631. 

Burton,  J.  Hill,  on  Castles  of  the  Islands, 
14. 

Busbie  Castle,  description,  372. 

CALDA  or  EDDERCHALDER  HOUSE,  de- 
scription, 632. 

Calderwood,  description,  442. 

Carberry  Tower,  description,  430. 

Cardrona  Tower,  description,  554. 

Garden  Tower*,  description,  456. 

Carleton  Castle,  description,  209. 

Carmichael,  Alex.  (Borve  Castle),  115. 

Carsleuth  Castle,  description,  513. 

Carrick  Castle,  description,  186. 

Cassillis  Castle,  description,  131. 

Castle  Building,  origin  of,  2. 

Castle  Gary,  description,  439. 

Coeffin,  description,  120. 

— -  Craig,  description,  465. 

Drumin,  description,  134. 

—  Grant,  description,  611. 

Castlehill,  description,  416. 

Castle  Lachlan,  description,  357. 

Leod,  description,  625. 

Maoil,  description,  172. 

Mearnaig,  description,  170. 

Shuna,  description,  447. 

Stalcaire,  description,   162 ;    Celtic 

ornament  at,  163. 

Swin,  description,  58  ;  keep  of,  60. 

Varrich,  description,  253. 

Castles,  thirteenth  century,  4. 

first  period,  14,  41. 

second  period,  19. 

third  period,  23. 

fourth  period,  32. 

Cathcart  Castle,  description,  233. 

Cessford  Castle,  description,  138. 

Chivalry  in  Scotland,  29. 

Christie,  T.  Craig  (Bedlay),  467. 

Christison,  Dr.  D.  (Moy  Castle),  127; 
(Castle  Stalcaire),  162  ;  (Castle  Shuna), 
447. 


Churches,  decorated  period,  19. 
—  first  pointed,  7. 

Norman,  7. 

Scottish  style,  37. 

Cleish  Castle,  description,  569. 

Clonbeith  Castle,  description,  374. 

Closeburn   Castle,    description,    128 ;   J. 
Hill  Burton  and  Captain  Grose,  130. 

Cluny  Castle,  description,  589. 

Cockburnspath  Tower,  description,  220. 

Colinton  Castle,  description,  540. 

Coll.     See  Breacacha. 

Collegiate  churches  of  fifteenth  century, 
25. 

Colmslie,  description,  547. 

Colquhonny  Castle,  description,  459. 

Comrie  Castle,  description,  583. 

Corbelling,  31. 

Corbett  Castle,  description,  423. 

Corsbie  Castle,  description,  426. 

Corsehill  Castle,  495. 

Corstorphine  Church,  view  of,  30. 

Courtyard  Plans,  21,  292. 

Covington  Tower,  description,  239. 

Cowdenknowes,  description,  425. 

Craig  Caffie  Tower,  description,  388. 

Craigie  Castle,  description,  296. 

Craiglockhart  Castle,  description,  227. 

Craignish  Castle,  description,  173. 

Cramond  Tower,  description,  432. 

Cramond,  Wm.  (Pordyce),  606. 

Cranshaws  Castle,  description,  428. 

Crawfurdland  Castle,  description,  384. 

Creich  Castle,  description,  568. 

Crosraguel    Abbey — gatehouse,    descrip- 
tion, 385. 

Crossbasket,  description,  442. 

Culdees,  6. 

Cumbrae  Castle,  Little,  description,  173. 


DALHOUSIE  CASTLE,  description,  144. 
Dalquharran  Castle,  description,  344. 
Dalzell  Castle,  description,  312. 
Darleith  Castle,  description,  447. 
Denmilne  Castle,  description,  291. 
Dirlot  Castle,  description,  253. 
Downreay  Castle,  description,  630. 
Dovecot,    Burns     Street,    Leith  —  Tail- 
piece, 634. 

Drumlochy  Castle,  description,  458. 
Drummelzier  Castle,  description,  553. 
Dryhope,  description,  403. 


ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND 


—  637  — 


INDEX 


Duart  Castle,  description,  46  ;  keep,  47  ; 

laws  regarding  chiefs,  51. 
Duchal  Castle,  description,  156. 
Duchray  Castle,  description,  577. 
Dunblane  Cathedral,  view  of  tower,  28. 
Dundarave  Castle,  description,  613. 
Dundas,  Robert,  of  Arniston  (Newbyres), 

538. 
Dunfermline    Abbey,   view    of    western 

tower,  28. 
Dunglass  Castle,  description.  305. 

Church,  views  of,  26.  27. 

Dunscaich  Castle,  description,  87. 
Dunskey  Castle,  description,  507. 
Duntroon  Castle,  description,  85. 
Dunure  Castle,  description,  341. 
Dunvegan  Castle,  description,  77. 

E  PLANS,  34. 

Earlston  Castle,  description,  521 . 

Easter  Clune,  description,  458. 

Ecclesiastical  Architecture,  2,  6,  19 ; 
revival  of,  24. 

Edderchalder  or  Calda  House,  descrip- 
tion, 632. 

Edgar,  James  (Duntroon),  85 ;  (Craig- 
nish),  173. 

Edingham  Castle,  description,  398. 

Elchies,  Easter,  description,  609. 

Wester,  description,  610. 

Ellandonan  Castle,  description,  82; 
water  cistern  at,  84. 

Ellan-Tirrim,  description,  56 ;  keep  of,  58. 

Esslemont  Castle,  description,  603. 

Evelaw  Tower,  description,  546. 


FAIBBURN  TOWER,  description,  462. 
Fairlie  Castle,  description,  173. 
Fast  Castle,  description,  222. 
Fat  Lips  Tower.     See  Minto  Tower. 
Fernie  Castle,  description,  566. 
Findlater  Castle,  description.  340. 
Findochty  Castle,  description,  608. 
Finhaven  Castle,  description,  594. 
Finlarig  Castle,  description,  583. 
Fire-arms,  effect  of,  33. 
First  Period,  Castles  of,  14,  41. 
Flemington  House,  description,  592. 
Fordyce  Castle,  description,  606. 
Forter  Castle,  description,  596. 
Fourmerkland  Tower,  description,  394. 


Fourth  Period,  characteristics  of,  32  ; 
description  of  style  of,  364  ;  influence 
of  Renaissance,  370 ;  churches,  monu- 
ments, and  sun-dials,  371  ;  simple 
keeps,  372. 

Fragmentary  Remains,  156. 

French  Chateaux,  different  from  Scottish 
castles,  31. 

Frenchland  Tower,  description,  552. 

Fyffe,  John  J.  (Borve  Castle),  115. 

GALDENOCH  CASTLE,  description,  506. 

Galloway,  William  (Barr  Castle),  183; 
(Sorbie),  519. 

Gamelscleuch,  description,  403. 

Gammelshiel  Castle,  description,  430. 

Garrion  Tower,  description,  476. 

Garth  Castle,  description,  458. 

Giffen  Castle,  description,  194. 

Glengarnock  Castle,  description,  293. 

Gogar  House,  description,  525. 

Goldielands  Tower,  description,  413. 

Gordon,  H.  Wolridge  (Esslemont),  603. 

Gouldwell  or  Boharm  Castle,  609. 

Graham,  R.  C.  (Skipness),  63. 

Greenan  Castle,  description,  383. 

Greenknowe  Castle,  description,  542. 

Greenock,  The  Mansion  House,  descrip- 
tion, 484. 

Gunn,  Mr.  (Castle  Leod),  625. 

Guthrie  Castle,  description,  248. 

HAGGS  CASTLE,  description,  478. 
Haliburton,  Andrew  (Ledger  of),  23. 
Hall,  the  changes  in,  32. 
Hamilton,  Lord,  of  Dalzell,  312  ;  (Jervis- 

ton  House),  474. 
Hatton  House,  description,  268. 
Haystoun  House,  description,  555. 
Hebrides,  Castles  in,  12. 
Herbertshire  Castle,  description,  537. 
Hessilhead  Castle,  description,  375. 
Highlands  and  Islands,  Castles  of,  9,  10, 

12. 

Highland  chiefs,  laws  regarding,  51. 
Hills  Castle,  description,  390. 
Hillslap  Tower,  description,  547. 
Hirendean  Castle,  description,  419. 
Hollows  Tower,  description,  217. 
Home  Castle,  description,  106. 
Horsburgh  Castle,  description,  418. 

Nether,  description,  418. 

Hunterston  Castle,  description,  194. 


INDEX 


—  638  — 


CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC 


Hutcheonfield  Tower,  419. 

INCH  HOUSE,  description,  528. 
Innerwick  Castle,  description,  325. 
Invergarry  Castle,  description,  620. 
Invermark  Castle,  description,  459. 
Inverquharity  Castle,  description,  282. 
Isle  Tower,  description,  393. 

JERVISTON  HOUSE,  description,  474. 
Joass,  William  C.  (Fairburn  Tower),  462  ; 

(Castle  Leod),  625. 
Johnstone,  A.  (Ballumbie),  158. 

KAMES  CASTLE,  description,  192. 

Kelly  Castle  (Forfarshire),    description, 

599. 
Kennedy,  James  A.  L.  (Craiglockhart), 

227. 

Kennedy  Monument,  Ballantrae,  304. 
Kildonan  Castle,  description,  125. 
Kilhenzie  Castle,  description,  387. 
Killundine  Castle,  description,  447. 
Kilmahew  Castle,  description,  443. 
Kincardine  Castle,  description,  111. 
King  Edward  Castle,  description,  112. 
Kinlochaline  Castle,  description,  168. 
Kinneil  Castle,  description,  228. 
Kirkhope  Tower,  description,  405. 
Kismul  Castle,  description,  51  ;  keep  at, 

54. 
Knockdolian  Castle,  description,  387. 

L  PLANS,  33,  138,  256,  467. 
Lag  Tower,  description,  396. 
Lamington  Tower,  description,  436. 
Langshaw,  description,  547. 
Law  Castle,  description,  173. 
Leith  Hall  (Aberdeenshire),  600. 
Lennox  Castle,  description,  224. 
Lethendy  Tower,  description,  590. 
Lethington  Castle,  description,  256. 
Lessels,  James  (Cleish),  569. 
Linlithgow  Church,  view  of  porch,  38. 
Literature,   Scottish,  growth  of,   during 

fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  24. 
Littledean  Castle,  description,  351. 
Lismore  Cathedral,  75. 
Loch  Doon  Castle,  description,  96  ;  early 

English  work  at,  99  ;  keep  at,  100. 
Lochnaw  Castle,  description,  210. 
Loch  Ore  Castle,  description,  241. 
Loch  Ranza  Castle,  description,  490. 


Lordscairnie  Castle,  description,  278. 
Lumphanan,  5. 

Lyon,  Walter  F.  (Fourmerkland),  394 ; 
(Meggernie),  457 ;  (Newbyres),  538. 

MAINS  CASTLE,  description,  231. 
Mansion  House,   Greenock,  description, 

484. 

Mauchline  Castle,  description,  202. 
Maybole  Castle,  description,  498. 
Meggernie  Castle,  description,  457. 
Melrose  Abbey,  Tower,  view  of,  39. 
Merchiston  Castle,  description,  263. 
Middleton,  Professor  (Skipness),  63. 
Miller,  Rev.  A.  (Old  Man  of  Wick),  134  ; 

(Braal    Castle),    137  ;    (Dirlot),    253 ; 

(Castle  Varrich),  253  ;  (Bucholie),  338 ; 

(Findochty),  608 ;  (Brims),  628 ;  (Down- 

reay),  630. 
Milne,  George  Gordon   (Inverquharity), 

282 ;  (Balfour),  337  ;  (Invermark),  459  ; 

(Forter),  596 ;  (Ballinshoe),  598. 
Mingarry  Castle,  description,  42. 
Minto  Tower,  description,  420. 
Mochrum,  Old  Place  of,  description,  349. 
Monasteries,  Establishment  of,  8. 
Monimail  Castle,  description,  448. 
Monkland  House,  description,  471. 
Monuments  in  Scottish  style,  37,  40. 
Moulin  Castle,  description,  109. 
Moy  Castle,  description,  127. 
Mugdock  Castle,  description,  308. 
Murray,  D.  (Dunscaich),  87. 
Mackenzie,  Cossar  (Castle  Stalcaire),  162. 
M'Kinnon,  Rev.  D.  (Dunscaich),  87. 
M'Lachlan,  John  (Castle  Lachlan),  357. 
(Craig  Caffie  Tower),  388. 

NETHER  HOESBURGH  CASTLE,  description, 

418. 

Netherlands,  Trade  with,  23. 
Newark    Castle,    Ayrshire,   description, 

378. 

Newbattle  Abbey,  description,  354. 
Newbyres  Tower,  description,  538. 
Newmilns  Tower,  description,  377. 
Newton  House,  Doune,  Perthshire, 

description,  581. 

Nichol,  Rev.  Mr  (Ballumbie),  159. 
Norie,  H.  H.  (Balhousie),  585. 
Norman  churches  in  Scotland,  7. 
Norman  Conquest,  5,  17. 
Normans  in  Scotland,  8. 


ARCHITECTURE  OP  SCOTLAND 


—    C39    — 


INDEX 


Norman  keeps,  2,  3,  5. 
Nunraw  Castle,  description,  353. 

OAK  WOOD  TOWER,  description,  408. 
Old  Bishopton,  description,  489. 
Oliphant,  T.  T.  (Queen  Mary's),  563. 
Oriniston,  W.  (Balhousie),  585. 

PARK  HOUSE,  description,  515. 
Patterson,  C.  M.  (Newbattle),  354. 
Penkill  Castle,  description,  204. 
Pinwherry  Castle,  description,  504. 
Pitcruivie  Castle,  description,  247. 
Pitairthie  Castle,  description,  562. 
Pitfirrane  Castle,  description,  572. 
Pitheavlis  Castle,  description,  588. 
Pitteadie  Castle,  description,  450. 
Pittullie  Castle,  description,  605. 
Pointed  windows  at  Mingarry,  45. 
—  Duart,  49. 

Castle  Swin,  60. 

Portincross  Castle,  description,  151. 
Posso  Castle,  description,  417. 

RAILTON,  WILLIAM  (Kildonan),  125 ; 
(Sorn),  200 ;  (Cathcart),  233  ;  (Craigie), 
296  ;  (Busbie),  372  ;  (Clonbeith),  374. 

Ravenscraig  Castle,  Aberdeenshire,  de- 
scription, 149. 

Redcastle,  Ross-shire,  description,  623. 

Reformation,  influence  of  the,  30. 

Remains,  Fragmentary,  156. 

Roberton,  James  D.  (Newark),  378;  (Bon- 
shaw,  Robgill,  and  Wardhouse  Towers), 
398  ;  (Garrion  Tower),  476. 

Robgill  Tower,  description,  398. 

Rossdhu  Castle,  description,  447. 

Rossend  Castle,  description,  559. 

Royal  Scottish  Academy  (Ballumbie), 
158  ;  (Blackness),  226  ;  (Cathcart),  233  ; 
(Boghall),  324 ;  (Newark),  379 ;  (Auch- 
inleck),  497. 

Rusco  Castle,  description,  213. 

SADDELL  CASTLE,  description,  197. 

Seafield  Tower,  description,  449. 

Second  Period,  castles  of,  17,  114;  enlarge- 
ment of,  20 ;  fragmentary  remains, 
156  ;  simple  keeps,  115  ;  L  plans,  138. 

Simple  Keeps,  115,  160,  372. 

Skelmorlie  Castle,  description,  173. 

Skene,  Mr.,  of  Rubislaw  (Tillycairn),  601. 

Skipness  Castle,  description,  63 ;  keep 
at,  68  ;  portcullis  gate,  68  ;  chapel  at, 
72  ;  charter  of  (1261),  74. 


Slains,  Old,  Castle,  description,  249. 
Smith,    J.     Guthrie     (Bardowie),    236  ; 

(Mugdock),  308  ;  (Duchray),  577. 
Sorbie  Castle,  description,  519. 
Sorn  Castle,  description,  200. 
Special  Plans,  340. 
Stair  House,  description,  495. 
Stanely  Castle,  description,  280. 
Stewart,  J,  Lome  (Breacacha),  117. 
Stonebyres,  description,  438. 
Stranraer  Castle,  description,  511. 
St.   Andrews    Castle,  description,   328 ; 

siege  of,  335. 
St.  Andrews,  Queen  Mary's,  description, 

563. 

T  PLANS,  34. 

Tailpiece— Dovecot,  Burns  Street,  Leith, 
634. 

Third  Period  Castles,  23  ;  simple  keeps, 
160  ;  L  plans,  256  ;  courtyard  plans, 
292  ;  special  plans,  340. 

Thirlstane  Castle,  Selkirkshire,  descrip- 
tion, 402. 

Thomaston  Castle,  description,  289. 

Thomson,  A.  G.  (Penkill),  204. 

Tillycairn  Castle,  description,  601. 

Timpendean  Castle,  description,  421. 

Tinnies  Castle,  description,  159. 

Town  Houses,  31. 

Turnberry.     See  Bruce's  Castle. 

Turriff  Church,  Belfry  of,  Aberdeenshire 
— title-page. 

URQUHART  CASTLE,  description,  90  ;  keep 
at,  94  ;  charter  to,  92. 

VAULTING,  27 

Vikings  in  the  islands,  10. 

WARDHOUSE  TOWER,  description,  398. 
Watson,  T.  L.  (Breacacha),  117. 
Watt,  J.  Crabb  (Kincardine),  111. 
Westhall,  description,  601. 
White,  Captain  (Skipness),  75. 
Wick,  Old  Man  of,  description,  134. 
Williamson,    George    (Mansion    House, 

Greenock),  484. 
Wrae  Castle,  418.  , 

YOUNG,  HARRY  (Cleish  Castle),  569. 


ARCHITECTURAL 
ARCHAEOLOGICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  WORKS 

RECENTLY  PUBLISHED 

BY    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


Four  Volumes,  Royal  8vo,  42s.  net  each  Volume,  with  about 
500  Illustrations  in  each  Volume. 

THE 

CASTELLATED  AND   DOMESTIC 


FROM  THE  TWELFTH  TO  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY 


BY 

DAVID   MACGIBBON   AND  THOMAS   ROSS 

ARCHITECTS 
VOLUME  ONE 


"  One  of  the  most  important  and  complete  books  on  Scottish  architecture  that 
has  ever  been  compiled.  Its  value  to  the  architect,  the  archaeologist,  and  the 
student  of  styles  is  at  once  apparent.  It  consists  almost  exclusively  of  what  may  be 
called  illustrated  architectural  facts,  well  digested  and  arranged,  and  constituting  a 
monument  of  patient  research,  capable  draughtsmanship,  and  of  well  sustained  effort, 
which  do  the  authors  infinite  credit." — Scotsman. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


The  FIRST  VOLUME  contains:— 

Introduction. — Giving  a  sketch  of  the  Castellated  Architecture  of  France  and 
England,  so  as  to  connect  that  of  Scotland  with  the  rest  of  Europe,  and  containing 
illustrations  of  French  and  English  Castles,  viz. : — 


Chateaux  d'Arques— de  Beaugency— de  Loches 
—Colchester  Castle— Newcastle— Castle  Heding- 
ham— Rochester  Castle— Dover  Castle— Mont  du 
Chevalier,  Cannes— Shell  keeps— Chateau  de  Gisors 
—  Chateau  d'Etampes — Chateau  Gaillard — Chateau 
de  Provins--Conisborough  Castle— Walls  of  Aigues 


Mortes—  Chateau  de  St  Andre"— Tour  du  Pont — 
Chateau  de  Coucy — Tower  of  Jeanne  d'Arc— 
Carnarvon  Castle— Pevensey  Castle— Chateau  de 
Pierrefonds — Warwick  Castle— Bodiam  Castle- 
Chateau  de  Montsabert — House  of  Francis  i. — 
Hurstmonceaux  Castle. 


FIRST  PERIOD—  1200-1300. 

Castle  Roy,  .         .         .     Inverness-shire                       '     Bothwell  Castle,    .         .     Lanarkshire 

Kinclaven  Castle,          .     Perthshire                                    Kildrummie  Castle,      .     Aberdeenshire 

Lochindorb  Castle,       .     Elginshire                                    Dirleton  Castle,    .         .     Haddingtonshire 

Loch-an-Eilan  Castle,  .     Inverness-shire                           Yester  Castle,        .         .                 Do. 

Inverlochy  Castle,         .               Do.                                      Hailes  Castle,        .         .                 Do. 

Lochmaben  Castle,       .     Dumfriesshire                             Caerlaverock  Castle,     .     Dumfriesshire 

Rothesay  Castle,  .         .     Buteshire                                     Tarbert  Castle,     .         .     Argyllshire 

Dunstaffnage  Castle,    .     Argyllshire 

SECOND  PERIOD—  1300-1400. 

1st,  Simple  Towers.                                   Neidpath  Castle,           .     Peeblesshire 

Lochleven  Castle,          .     Kinross-shire 
Drum  Castle,         .         .     Aberdeenshire 
Alloa  Tower,         .         .     Clackmannanshire 
Hallforest,    .         .         .     Aberdeenshire 
Threave  Castle,    .         .     Kirkcudbrightshire 

2d,  Keeps  extended  into  Courtyards. 
Craigmillar  Castle,       .     Midlothian 
Castle  Campbell,  .         .     Clackmannanshire 
Crichton  Castle,   .        .     Midlothian 

Dundonald  Castle,        .     Ayrshire 
Torthorwald  Castle,      .     Dumfriesshire 

Comparison  of  Scottish  Castles  of  this  period 
with  those  of  France  and   England  -  The   keep 

Clackmannan  Tower,  .     Clackmannanshire 

plan  universal  in  Scotland. 

THIRD  PERIOD—  1400-1542. 

I.   Simple  Keeps. 

III.  Keeps  enlarged  in  various  ways  by 

Liberton  Tower,  .         .     Midlothian 

Additions. 

Mearns  Tower,     .         .     Renfrewshire 
Elphinstone  Castle,       .     Haddingtonshire 

1st,  Keeps  enlarged  into  Castles  surrounding  a 
Courtyard. 

Comlongan  Castle,        .     Dumfriesshire 
Cardoness  Castle,          .     Kirkcudbrightshire 
Newark  Castle,     .         .     Selkirkshire 
Affleck   or  Auchenleck 

Edzell  Castle,        .         .     Forfarshire 
Rosslyn  Castle,     .         .     Midlothian 
Balgonie  Castle.  .         .     Fifeshire 
Kilchuni  Castle,  .         .     Argyllshire 

Castle,        .         .         .     Forfarshire 
Craignethan  Castle,      .     Lanarkshire 
Sauchie  Tower,    .         .     Clackmannanshire 
Kinnaird  Tower,  .         .     Perthshire 

Kilravock  Castle,          .     Nairnshire 
Balveny  Castle,    .         .     Banffshire 
Kilbirnie  Castle,  .         .     Ayrshire 
Ruthven      Castle,      or 

Burleigh  Castle,  .         .     Kinross-shire 
Duffus  Castle,       .         .     Elginshire 
Redcastle,     .         .         .     Forfarshire 
Dunolly  Castle,    .         .     Argyllshire 
Benholme  Tower,          .     Kincardineshire 
Drummond  Castle,        .     Perthshire 

Huntingtower,  .         .     Perthshire 
Dean  Castle,  Kilmarnocfc,  Ayrshire 
Falside  Castle,     .        .     Haddingtonshire 
Haining,  or  Almond  Castle,  Linlithgowshire 
Sanquhar  Castle,           .     Dumfriesshire 

Rosyth  Castle,      .         .     Fifeshire 

2nd,   Castles  designed  as  buildings  surrounding  a 

Leven  Castle,        .         .     Renfrewshire 

Courtyard. 

Inverkip  Castle,    .        .             Do. 

Doune  Castle,       .        .     Perthshire 

Craigneil  Castle,  .         .     Ayrshire 

Tantallon  Castle,           .     Haddingtonshire 

Kilkerran  Castle,          .         Do. 

Dirleton  Castle,    .         .                Do. 

Whittingham  Tower,   .     Haddingtonshire 

Spynie  Palace,      .         .     Elginshire 

Balquhain  Castle,         .     Aberdeenshire 
Darnaway  Castle,          .     Elginshire 
Badenheath  Castle,      .     Dumbartonshire 
Cairnbulg  Castle,          .     Aberdeenshire 

Edinburgh  Castle,        .     Edinburgh 
Stirling  Castle,     .         .     Stirlingshire 
Linlithgow  Palace,       .     Linlithgowshire 
Falkland  Palace,  .         .     Fifeshire 

Farme  Castle,       .         .     Lanarkshire 

House  of  the  Knights 

II.  Keeps  with  One  or  Two  Wings. 
Auchindoun  Castle,      .     Banffshire 
Preston  Tower,     .         .     Haddingtonshire 

Hospitallers,     .        .     Linlithgow 
Dunfermline  Palace,    .     Fifeshire 
Bishop's  Palace,  Kirkwall,  Orkney 

Castle  Huntly,      .         .     Perthshire 

Exceptional  Modifications  of  the  Keep  Plan. 

Gight,   or    Formantine 
Castle,        .         .         .     Aberdeenshire 

Hermitage  Castle,         .     Roxburghshire 
Crookston  Castle,          .     Renfrewshire 

Niddrie  Castle,     .         .     Linlithgowshire 
Craig  Castle,         .         .     Aberdeenshire 

Ravenscraig  Castle,      .     Fifeshire 
Morton  Castle,     .        .     Dumfriesshire 

Dundas  Castle,     .         .     Linlithgowshire 

Tullyallan  Castle,         .     Perthshire 

Balvaird  Castle,    .         .     Fifeshire 

Rait  Castle,           .         .     Nairnshire 

Borthwick  Castle,         .     Midlothian 
Avondale  Castle,  .         .     Lanarkshire 

Arbroath  Abbey,  .         .     Forfarshire 

Struthers  Castle,  .         .     Fifeshire 

Changes  of  Domestic  Architecture  from 

Stoneypath  Tower,       .     Haddingtonshire 

Fifteenth  to  Seventeenth  Century. 

Federate  Castle,  .         .     Aberdeenshire 

Dunnottar  Castle,              Kincardineshire 

The  SECOND  VOLUME  contains 
Illustrations  and  Descriptions  of  the  following  Castles :— 


FOURTH  PERIOD—  1542-1700. 

I.  Simple  Keeps. 

Muness  Castle,     . 

.     Shetland 

Amlsfield  Tower,          .     Dumfriesshire 

Burgie  Castle, 

.     Elginshire 

Coxton  Tower,     .         .     Elginshire 

Blervie  Castle, 

Do. 

Hallbar  Tower,    .        .     Lanarkshire 

Corse  Castle, 

.     Aberdeenshire 

Knock  Castle,       .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Keiss  Castle, 

Caithness-shire 

Kinnaird  Head  Castle,              Do. 

Moncur  Castle,     . 

.     Perthshire 

Smailholm  Tower,        .     Roxburghshire 
Lochhouse  Tower,        .     Dumfriesshire 

Fenton  Castle, 
Eden  Castle, 

.     Haddingtonshire 
.     Banffshire 

Scotstarvet  Tower,       .     Fifeshire 

Grantully  Castle, 

.     Perthshire 

Udny  Castle,        .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Huntly  Castle,     . 

.     Aberdeenshire 

Speedlin's  Tower,        .     Dumfriesshire 

Earlshall,      . 

.     Fifeshire 

Birse  Castle,         .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Druminnor  Castle 

.     Aberdeenshire 

Towie  Barclay,     .        .              Do. 

Tilquhilly  Castle, 

.     Kincardineshire 

Delgaty  Castle,    .        .              Do. 

Newton  Castle,    . 

.     Perthshire 

Abergeldie  Castle,        .              Do. 
Cakemuir  Castle,          .     Midlothian 

IV.  Castles 

with  Courtyards. 

Bishop's  House,  Elgin,     Elginshire 

Scottish  Type. 

Repentance,  Tower  of,     Dumfriesshire 

Tolquhan  Castle, 

.     Aberdeenshire 

Niddrie  Marischall  House,  Midlothian 

Boyne  Castle, 

Banffshire 

Corgarff  Castle,    .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Girnigoe  Castle,   . 

.     Caithness-shire 

II.  Keeps  with  One  Wing-,  or  the  |_  Plan. 

Cawdor  Castle,     . 
Inverugie  Castle, 

Nairnshire 
Aberdeenshire 

Elshieshields  Tower,   .     Dumfriesshire 
Gylem  Castle,       .        .     Argyllshire 
Brackie  Castle,     .         .     Forfarshire 
Muckrach  Castle,         .     Inverness-shire 

Birsay  Castle, 
Inverallochy  Castle, 
Barnes  Castle, 
Dornoch  Palace,  . 

Orkney 
.     Aberdeenshire 
.     Haddingtonshire 
Sutherlandshire 

Balbegno  Castle,  .         .     Kincardineshire 

Earl  Patrick's  Palace, 

Orkney 

Blairfindy  Castle,          .     Banffshire 

Fyvie  Castle, 

Aberdeenshire 

Drumcoltran  Castle,     .     Kirkcudbrightshire 

Balcomie  Castle,  . 

Fifeshire 

Gilbertfield  Castle,       .     Lanarkshire 

Stobhall  Castle,    . 

.     Perthshire 

Evelick  Castle,     .        .     Perthshire 

Muchalls  Castle,  . 

.     Aberdeenshire 

Scalloway  Castle,         .     Shetland 

Midmar  Castle,    . 

Do. 

Towie  Castle,       .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Rowallan  Castle,  . 

.     Ayrshire 

Elcho  Castle,        .        .     Perthshire 

Mains  Castle, 

Forfarshire 

Craigievar  Castle,        .     Aberdeenshire 

Pinkie  House, 

Midlothian 

Crathes  Castle,     .        .              Do. 

Barra  Castle, 

Aberdeenshire 

Glamis  Castle,      .         .     Forfarshire 
Kellie  Castle,        .         .     Fifeshire 
Lickleyhead  Castle,     .     Aberdeenshire 

Allardyce  Castle, 
Airth  Castle, 
Corehouse  Castle, 

.     Kincardineshire 
.     Stirlingshire 
Lanarkshire 

Ochiltree  Castle,  .        .     Linlithgowshire 

Ethie  Castle, 

Forfarshire 

Hoddam  Castle,  .        .     Dumfriesshire 

Menstrie  Castle,  . 

Clackmannanshire 

Mar  Castle,  .        .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Fiddes  Castle,      .         .      Kincardineshire 

Renaissance. 

Killochan  Castle,          .     Ayrshire 

Balmbreich  Castle, 

Fifeshire 

Kirkhill  Castle,     .         .     Ayrshire 

Argyll's  Lodging, 

Stirlingshire 

Maclellan's  House,       .     Kirkcudbrightshire 

Newark  Castle,    . 

Renfrewshire 

Inchdrewer  Castle,       .     Banffshire 

Culross  Palace,    . 

Perthshire 

Ferniehirst  Castle,        .     Roxburghshire 

Drum  Castle, 

Aberdeenshire 

Torwoodhead  Castle,    .     Stirlingshire 

Traquair  House,  . 

Peeblesshire 

Knockhall  Castle,        .     Aberdeenshire 

Drumlanrig  Castle, 

Dumfriesshire 

Peffermill  House,          .     Midlothian 

Caroline  Park, 

Midlothian 

Erchless  Castle,    .        .     Inverness-shire 

Balmacraig  House, 

Aberdeenshire 

Stenhouse  Castle,         .     Stirlingshire 

Ruthven  Castle,  . 

Inverness-shire 

Collarnie  Castle,  .        .     Fifeshire 
Auchans  Castle,   .        .     Ayrshire 

V.  Development  into  House  and  Mansion. 

Dalcross  Castle,   .        .     Inverness-shire 

Aberdour  Castle, 

Fifeshire 

Balbythan  Castle,        .     Aberdeenshire 

Castle  Stewart,     . 

Inverness-shire 

Northfield  House,        .     Haddingtonshire 
Granton  Castle,    .        .     Midlothian 

Craigston  Castle, 
Aldie  Castle, 

Aberdeenshire 
Perthshire 

Bishop's  House,  Breckness,  Orkney 
Innerpeffrey  Castle,     .     Perthshire 
Williamstoun  House,    .            Do. 

Carnock  House,   . 
Gardyne  Castle,  . 
Megginch  Castle, 

Stirlingshire 
Forfarshire 
Perthshire 

Kelty  House,        .        .            Do. 

Farnell  Castle,     . 

Forfarshire 

Leslie  Castle.        .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Midhope  House,  . 

Linlithgowshire 

Hopetoun  Tower,          .     Linlithgowshire 
Innes  House,        .        .     Elginshire 

III.  Keeps  with  Diagonally  Opposite  Towers. 

Philorth  Castle,    . 
Keith  House, 
West  Coates  House, 
Cardarroch  Castle, 

Aberdeenshire 
Haddingtonshire 
Edinburgh 
Dumbartonshire 

Terpersie  Castle,           .     Aberdeenshire 

Houston  House,  . 

Linlithgowshire 

Claypotts  Castle,          .     Forfarshire 

Jerviswood  Castle, 

Lanarkshire 

Notland  Castle,    .        .     Orkney 

Duntarvie  House, 

Linlithgowshire 

Drochil  Castle,     .        .     Peeblesshire 

Fernielee  Castle, 

Selkirkshire 

Castle  Fraser,       .        .     Aberdeenshire 

Wintoun  House,  . 

Haddingtonshire 

Fordell  Castle      .        .     Fifeshire 

Moray  House, 

Edinburgh 

Glenbucket  Castle,       .     Aberdeenshire 

Pitreavie  House,  . 

Fifeshire 

Harthill  Castle,    .         .              Do. 

Preston  House,    . 

Haddingtonshire 

Inchoch  Castle,    .         .     Nairnshire 

Fountainhall,       . 

Dd. 

Ballone  Castle,     .        .     Ross-shire 

Craighall,     . 

Fifeshire 

Kilcoy  Castle,      .        .         Do. 

Drum  House, 

Midlothian 

The  THIRD  VOLUME  contains 

Illustrations  and  Descriptions  of  the  following  Castles  :— 
FIRST  PERIOD— 1200-1300. 


Mingarry 
Duart 

Skipness 
Achanduin 

Dunskaich 
Ardchonnel 

Home  Castle 
Moulin 

Kismull 
Elian  Tirrim 

Dunvegan 
Ellandonan 

Urquhart 
Loch  Doon 

Bruce's  Castle 
Kincardine 

Castle  Swin 

Duntroon 

Achincass  (or  Auchen) 

King  Edward 

SECOND  PERIOD—  1300-1400. 

Simple  Keeps. 

Moy,  Lochbuy 

L    Plans. 

Fragmentary 

Borve 

Close  burn 

Remains. 

Breacacha,  Coll 
Castle  Coeffin 
Ardtornish 
Aros 

Cassillis 
Balthayock 
Drumin 
Old  Man  of  Wick 

Cessford 
Dalhousie 
Ravenscraig 
Portincross 

Duchal 
Ballumbie 
Tinnies 

Kildonan,  Arran 

Braal 

THIRD  PERIOD—  1400-1542. 

Simple  Keeps. 

Carleton  • 

Guthrie 

Ardrossan 

Castle  Stalcaire 

Lochnaw 

Old  Slanes 

Ardstinchar 

Kinlochaline 

Rusco 

Boddam 

Dunglass 

Castle  Mearnaig 
Castle  Maoil 

Hollows 
Bemersyde 

Ackergill 
Dirlot 

Mugdock 
Dalzell 

Craignish 

Billicastle 

Castle  Varrich 

Boghall 

Little  Curabrae 

Cockburnspath 

Plans. 

Innerwick 

Fairlie 

Fast  Castle 

St  Andrews 

Law 

Lennox 

Lethington 

Balfour 

Skelmorlie 

Blackness 

Merchiston 

Bucholie 

Barr  Castle 
Carrick 
Kaimes 

Craiglockhart 
Kinneil 
Mains 

Hatton  House 
Bridge  Castle 
Lordscairnie 

Findlater 
Special  Plans. 

Giffen 

Cathcart 

Stanely 

Dunure 

Hunterston           * 

Bardowie 

Inverquharity 

Dalquharran 

Saddell 

Sorn 

Covington 
Lochore 

Brodick 
Thomaston 

Mochrum 
Littledean 

Barr 

Bruce's  Castle 

Denmiln 

Nunraw 

Mauchline 

Arnot's  Tower 

Courtyard  Plans. 

Newbattle 

Penkill 

Balmuto 

Glengarnock 

Castle  Lachlan 

Ailsa-Craig 

Pitcruivie 

Craigie 

FOURTH  PERIOD—  1542-1700. 

Simple  Keeps. 

Central  District. 

Maybole 

Pitfirrane 

West  and  South-  West 
District. 
Busbie 
Clonbeith 
Hessilhead 
Newmilns 
Newark 

Carberry 
Cramond 
Lamington 
Stonebyres 
Castle  Gary 
Crossbasket  and  Calder- 
wood 

Baltersan 
Pinwherry 

South-West  District. 

Galdenoch 
Dunskey 
Stranraer 

Blairlogie 
Duchray 
Balmanno 
Newton,  Doune 
Aberuchil 
Finlarig 
Achallader 

Greenan 
Crawfurdland 
Crosraguel 
Kilchenzie 
Knockdolian 
Craig  Caffie 

South  District. 
Hills 

Kilmahew 
Banachra 
Darleith 
Rossdhu 
Killundine 
Shuna 
East  and  North 
Districts. 

Park 
Sorbie 
Carsleuth 
Barholm 
Earlston 
Barscobe 

South-East  District. 

Comrie 
Balhousie 
Pitheavlis 
Cluny 
Lethendy 
Bannatyne 
Flemington 
Finhaven 
Forter 

Isle 

Monimail 

Gogar 

Ballinshoe 

Fourmerkland 

Top- 

Seafield 
Pitteadie 

Inch 
Bavelaw 

Kelly 
Leith  Hall 

-Lj<*6 

Bonshaw 

Garden 

Colinton 

Balfluig 

Robgill 
Wardhouse 
Thirlstane 
Gamescleuch 

Bandon 
Meggernie 
Drumlochy 
Garth 

Bonhard 
Herbertshire 
Newbyres 
Greenknowe 

Westhall 
Tillycairn 
Esslemont 
Pittullie 

Dryhope 
Blackhouse 
Kirkhope 

Easter  Clune 
Colquhonny 
Invermark 
Fairburn 

Evelaw 
Hillslap 
Colmshe 
Langshaw 

Fordyce 
Findochty 
Boharm 
Elchies,  Easter 

Goldielands 
Barns 
Castlehill 

Castle  Craig 
[_    Plans. 
West  District. 

Buckholm 
Frenchland 
Drumelzier 
Cardrona 

Do.      Wester 
Castle  Grant 
Aslisk 

Wrae 
Horsburgh 
Nether  Horsburgh 
Hyrendean 
Hutcheonfield 

Bedlay 
Monkland  House 
Auchenvole 
Jerviston 
Garrion  Tower 

Hayston  House 

East  and  North-East 
District. 
Rossend 

North-  West  and  North 
District. 

Dundarave 
Barcaldine 

Minto 

Haggs 

Anstruther  Manse 

Invergarry 

Timpendean 
Corbett 

Greenock  Mansion 
Old  Bishopton 

Pitairthie 
Queen  Mary's,  St 

Redcastle 
Castle  Leod 

Cowdenknowes 

Loch  Ranza 

Andrews 

Brims 

Corsbie 

Corsehill 

Fernie 

Downreay 

Cranshaws 

Stair 

Creich 

Ardvreck 

Gamelshiel 

Auchinleck 

Cleish 

Edderchalder 

The  FOURTH  VOLUME,  NOW  IN  PREPARATION, 
Will  contain  Illustrations  and  Descriptions  of  the  following  Buildings : — 

FOURTH  PERIOD— 1542-1700. 


Hatton  Hall 

Edrington 

Kirkwall 

Z  Plans. 

Branxholm 

Bassendean 

Lerwick 

Craisrcrook 

Whitbank 

Berwick 

Ravelston 
Riccarton 

Torwoodlee 
Penshiel 

Blanerne 
Lochwood 

TOLBOOTHS. 

Kipps 

Duntreath 

Pollock  Castle 

Edinburgh—  Canongate 

Dargavel 

Crawford 

Gartshore 

Musselburgh 

Kelburn 

Ranforlie 

Waygateshaw 

Dunbar 

Kilmartin 

Toward 

Gargunnock 

Glasgow 

Balloch 

Seagate,  Irvine 

Touch 

Hamilton 

Edinample 

Blair 

Inch,  Galbraith 

Renfrew 

Castle  Menzies 

Cessnock 

Eilean  Mohr 

Dumfries 

Glendevon 

Ardmillan 

Fraoch 

Sanquhar 

Dairsie 

Kenmure 

Fionchairn 

Maybole 

Glasclune 

Dowhill 

Kailyards,  Fife 

Culross 

Hatton 

Newark,  Fife 

Lund  in 

Kinghorn 

Cortachie 

Dudhope 

Ardross 

Dysart 

Collision 

Powrie 

Aithernie 

Crail 

Vayne 

Murroes 

Mountquharnie 

Forres 

Arnage 

Logic 

Auchterhouse 

Elgin 

Asloon 

Methven 

Pitcullo 

Tain 

Pitcaple 

Murthly 

Craig,  Montrose 

Lerwick 

Keith  Hall 

Ardblair 

Hallgreen 

Ballindalloch 
Brodie 

Talla 
Hallhead 

Lauriston 
Inglismaldie 

CHURCHES. 

Cullen  House 

Aboyne 

Stirling,  Greyfriars 

Plans. 

Pitsligo 

Meldrum 

Dysart 

Wallyford 

Knockinnan 

Castle  Newe 

Pittenweem 

Baberton 

Berridale 

Monymusk 

Anstruther 

Wedderlie 

Forse 

Dunnideer 

Crail 

Linnhouse 

Thurso 

Frendraught 

Dairsie 

Cowan's  Hospital 

Dunrobin 

Shivas 

Cupar 

Corsindae 

Duntulm 

Ellon 

Glasgow 

Careston 
Balnakiel 

Exceptional  Plans. 

Oliphant,  or  Milton 
Pitfichie 

Dunlop 
Fenwick 

Melgund 

Kininvie 

Kilbirnie 

Plans. 

Carnassery 

Uttershill 

Glencorse 

Grangepans 

Thirlstane 

Prestonpans 

Old  Leckie 

Castle  Kennedy 

Pencaitland 

Illiston 

Inchcolm 

HOUSES  IN  TOWNS. 

Tullibardine 

Lauriston 

Nisbet 

Turriff 

Kailyards 

Woolmet 

Edinburgh  and  Leith,  a 



Tullibole 
Queen  Mary's,  Jedburgh 
Blackball 

North  Berwick 
Later  forms  of  Plans. 

number  of  houses  in 
Restalrig 
Prestonpans 

MONUMENTS. 
Largs 

Brounstoun,  Girvan 

Aiket 

Haddington 

Haddington 

Crosbie 

Sundrum 

Lasswade 

Dunbar 

Monk  Castle 

Bargany 

Bo'ness 

Crail 

Airdrie 

Brisbane  House 

Glasgow 

. 

Barns  of  Crail 
Knockdavie 

Carslogie 
Dunbeath 

Port  Glasgow 
Paisley 

CASTLES  OMITTED  IN 

Pitkerro 

Tongue 

Rothesay 

PREVIOUS  VOLUMES. 

Kilmaichlie 
Kinkell 

Helmsdale 
Saughton  Mill 

Dunfermline 
Culross 

Simple  Keeps. 

Courtyard  Plans. 

Halkerston  Lodge 
Inveresk  Lodge 

Inverkeithing 
Burntislar.d 

Whitslade 
Mains    Castle,    Kilmaro- 

Holyrood 
Henot's  Hospital 

Altered  and  Fragrment- 

Kirkcaldy 
Dysart 

nock 
Plans. 

Glasgow  College 

ary  Examples. 

Anstruther 

Southsyde 

Redhouse 

Barnbougle 

Pittenweem 

Ford 

Brunstane 

Bins 

Elie 

Cockburn 

Hawthornden 

Calder  House 

Cupar 

Balenon 

Brunston 

Kirkhill 

St  Andrews 

Myreton 

Monkton  House 

Woodhouselee 

Dundee 

Crichton  House 

Saltcoats 

Craigentinny 

Montrose 

East  Cairns 

Seton  Castle 

Dalkeith 

Aberdeen 

Auchenbowie 

Garmylton 

Herdmanston 

Fraserburgh 

Otterston 

Elibank 

Auldhame 

Elgin 

Kirkton,  Carluke 

And  probably  others. 

The  Work  will  conclude  with  Illustrations  and  Descriptions  of  a  large  series  of 
THE  PICTURESQUE  SUN-DIALS  OF  SCOTLAND. 


One  Volume,  8vo,  21s.,  with  nearly  300  Illustrations. 


THE  ARCHITECTURE  OF 


PROVENCE 


AND 


THE  RIVIERA 


BY 


DAVID    MACGIBBON 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  CASTELLATED  AND  DOMESTIC  ARCHITECTURE  OF  SCOTLAND' 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


The  Architecture  of 
Provence  and  the  Riviera 

BY  DAVID  MACGIBBON. 
ILLUSTRATED  WITH  NEARLY  300  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

One  Volume  8vo,  21s. 


' '  Mr  Macgibbon  begins  with  a  map  of  the  country  of  which  he  proposes 
to  treat,  and  three  short  introductory  chapters,  chiefly  historical.  Next  he 
describes  the  remains  of  classical,  and  then,  at  greater  length,  those  of  mediaeval 
architecture,  the  last  chapter  occupying  nearly  three-quarters  of  the  book  .  .  . 
which  is  a  welcome  addition  to  the  library,  as  well  as  a  valuable  companion 
to  the  guide-book." — Athenaeum. 

"  We  can  imagine  no  more  fascinating  book  for  the  lover  of  early  mediaeval 
art  than  this  handsome  and  beautifully  illustrated  volume." — Spectator. 

"Mr  Macgibbon  gives  a  very  able  sketch  of  the  development  of  the 
architecture  of  the  district,  from  the  Byzantine  to  the  mediaeval  styles,  and 
especially  of  the  invention  of  the  pointed  arch  ...  a  real  artistic  power  of 
generalisation,  combined  with  that  technical  knowledge  which  gives  accuracy 
to  the  details,  and  consequently  a  practical  value  to  the  drawing,  and  makes 
it  something  more  than  a  merely  pretty  sketch.  .  .  .  Mr  Macgibbon's  book 
is  one  of  real  merit,  both  for  its  text  and  its  abundant  illustrations." — 
Saturday  Review. 

"  An  invaluable  companion  for  visitors  to  the  South  of  France  and  the 
Riviera,  and  will  afford  information  concerning  an  important  phase  of  archi- 
tecture. " — Architect. 

"We  can  promise  a  treat  to  any  one  who  wisely  elects  to  accompany  so 
interesting  and  instructive  a  guide." — Building  News. 

1 '  Sufficiently  technical  to  be  of  value  to  the  student  of  architectural  art, 
but  it  is  written  in  a  manner  to  make  it  acceptable  to  all  who  take  an  interest 
in  the  historical  development  of  architecture.  .  .  .  The  descriptions  of  the 
various  buildings  referred  to  are  distinctly  popular  in  style,  and  one  of  the 
most  valuable  parts  of  the  work  are  the  illustrations,  which  occur  in  almost 
every  page  of  the  text." — Scotsman. 

"With  both  pen  and  pencil  Mr  Macgibbon  introduces  us  delightfully  to  a 
new  country." — Scots  Observer. 

"Leaves  nothing  to  be  desired  but  personal  inspection." — Glasgow  Herald. 

"  We  must  express  our  cordial  thanks  to  Mr  Macgibbon  for  so  complete, 
so  comprehensive,  and  so  delightful  an  account  of  the  architecture  of  a  district 
which  abounds  in  material  of  the  utmost  interest  to  the  artist,  the  archaeologist, 
and  the  student  of  history.  Such  a  book  as  this — the  work  of  an  author  who 
combines  many  qualifications  for  the  task — should  be  the  constant  guide  and 
companion  of  all  cultivated  and  intelligent  visitors  to  Provence  and  the 
Riviera." — John  Bull. 


EDINBURGH :  DAVID  DOUGLAS,  CASTLE  STREET. 


One  Volume  8vo,  fully  Illustrated,  12s. 


SCOTLAND 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN   TIMES 


THE  RHIND  LECTURES  IN  ARCHEOLOGY— 1879. 


BY  JOSEPH  ANDERSON,  LL.D. 

KEEPER  OF  THE  NATIONAL  MUSEUM  OF  THE  ANTIQUARIES  OF  SCOTLAND 


IN    THE   BURYING-GROUND,    EILEAN   NA   NAOIMH 


CONTENTS.  —  Celtic  Churches  —  Monasteries  —  Hermitages  —  Round  Towers  • 
Illuminated  M«muscripts->- Bells — Crosiers — Reliquaries,  etc. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


One  Volume  8vo,  fully  Illustrated,  1 2s. 


SCOTLAND 


IN 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN   TIMES 

(SECOND    SEEIES) 
THE  RHIND  LECTURES  IN  ARCHAEOLOGY  FOR  l88o 

BY  JOSEPH  ANDERSON,  LL.D. 

KEEPER   OF    THE   NATIONAL   MUSEUM  OF   THE   ANTIQUARIES   OF   SCOTLAND 


CONTENTS. — Celtic  Medal- Work  and  Sculptured  Monuments,  their  Art  and 
Symbolism — Inscribed  Monuments  in  Runics  and  Oghams — Bilingual  Inscriptions, 
etc. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


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SCOTLAND 


IN 


PAGAN     TIMES 


3ron   age 


THE  RHIND  LECTURES  IN  ARCHAEOLOGY  FOR  1 88 1 


BY  JOSEPH  ANDERSON,  LL.D. 

KEEPER    OF   THE   NATIONAL    MUSEUM   OF  THE  ANTIQUARIES   OF   SCOTLAND 


CONTENTS.  —  The  Iron  Age. — Viking  Burials  and  Hoards  of  Silver  and  Ornaments 
— Arms,  Dress,  etc.,  of  the  Viking  Time— Celtic  Art  of  the  Pagan  Period — Decorated 
Mirrors — Enamelled  Armlets — Architecture  and  Contents  of  the  Brochs — Lake- 
Dwellings — Earth  Houses,  etc. 


EDINBUBGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


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SCOTLAND      - 


IN 


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Bronse  anfc  Stone 

THE  RHIND  LECTURES  IN  ARCHEOLOGY  FOR  1882 

BY   JOSEPH    ANDERSON,    LL.D. 

KEEPER   OF   THE    NATIONAL   MUSEUM    OF   THK 
ANTIQUARIES   OF   SCOTLAND 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II. 

The.  Bronze  and  Stone  Ages. — Cairn  Burial  of  the  Bronze  Age  and  Cremation 
Cemeteries — Urns  of  Bronze  Age  Types — Stone  Circles — Stone  Settings — Gold 
Ornaments — Implements  and  Weapons  of  Bronze— Cairn  Burial  of  the  Stone  Age — 
Chambered  Cairns — Urns  of  Stone  Age  Types — Implements  and  Weapons  of  Stone. 


EDINBURGH:     DAVID    DOUGLAS 


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THE 


PAST    IN    THE   PRESENT 

WHAT  IS  CIVILISATION? 

BY  SIR  ARTHUR  MITCHELL,  M.D.,  LL.D. 


I.  The  Spindle  and  Whorl. 
II.  Craggans  and  Querns,  etc. 
III.  Beehive  Houses,  etc. 


CONTENTS. 

IV.  Cave  Life. 
V.  Stone,  Bronze,  and  Iron 
VI.  Superstitions. 


EDINBUKGH:     DAVID    DOUGLAS 


William  F.  Skene. 
Celtic    Scotland.       A    History   of   Ancient    Alban.       By 

WILLIAM  F.    SKENE,   D.C.L.,   LL.D.,   Historiographer  -  Royal    for  Scotland. 
3  vols.  demy  8vo,  with  Maps,  45s. 

Vol.         I.       HISTORY   AND   ETHNOLOGY.       15s. 
Vol.      II.      CHURCH   AND   CULTURE.       15s. 
Vol.    III.       LAND   AND    PEOPLE.       15s. 

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Highlands  which  has  ever  since  been  appealed  to  as  an  authority,  but  which  has  long 
been  out  of  print.  The  promise  of  this  youthful  effort  is  amply  fulfilled  in  the  three 
weighty  volumes  of  his  maturer  years.  As  a  work  of  historical  research  it  ought,  in 
our  opinion,  to  take  a  very  high  rank." — Times. 

E.  W.  Robertson. 
Scotland   under    her    Early   Kings.        A    History   of    the 

Kingdom  to  the  close  of  the  Thirteenth  Century.     By  E.  WILLIAM  ROBERTSON. 
2  vols.  demy  8vo,  cloth,  36s. 

Historical   Essays,  in  connection  with  the   Land  and  the 

Church,  etc.      By  E.  WILLIAM  ROBERTSON,  Author  of   "Scotland  under  her 
Early  Kings."    1  vol.  demy  8vo,  10s.  6*d. 

Lord  Cockburn. 
Circuit  Journeys.     By  the  late  LORD  COCKBURN,  one  of  the 

Judges  of  the  Court  of  Session.     Second  Edition,  1  vol.  crown  8vo,  6s. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  reminiscences  that  have  appeared." — Morning  Post. 

"The  attraction  of  this  book  is  due  to  the  charm  of  the  style,  the  cleverness 
with  which  characters  are  graphically  sketched  in  a  few  words,  and  the  impressions 
of  Scotch  life  from  1837  to  1854  given  by  a  Judge  making  his  Circuit  with  most  of 
his  family  '  in  and  about '  his  carriage.  Lord  Cockburn  had  a  real  love  of  Nature, 
and  all  the  time  he  could  spare  from  dealing  with  criminals  he  spent  in  exploring  the 
lovely  country  through  which  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  travel.  The  book  there- 
fore combines  records  of  vile  or  insane  deeds,  and  the  curious  idiosyncrasies  of  their 
perpetrators,  with  the  most  charming  and  even  poetical  description  of  scenery." — 
Murray's  Magazine. 

' '  Delightful  alike  for  its  pleasant  landscapes  ;  its  sound  criticisms  on  men,  law, 
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"A  record  of  trials  and  travels,  kept  with  praiseworthy  punctuality  from  the 
autumn  of  1837  to  the  spring  of  1854,  ought  to  be,  and  really  is,  worth  reading." — 
Saturday  Review. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS. 


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ml) 


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EDINBURGH :   DAVID  DOUGLAS 


ICELANDIC  SAGAS,  Translated  by  Sir  GEORGE  DASENT 


Two  Volumes,  Demy  8vo,  with  Maps  and  Plans,  28s. 
THE    NJALA    SAGA 

.-BURNT     N  J  A  L 

FROM  THE  ICELANDIC   OF  THE   NJAL'S   SAGA 


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GISLI    THE    OUTLAW 


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EDINBURGH:   DAVID  DOUGLAS 


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THE 

HISTORY  OF   LIDDESDALE 
ESKDALE,  EWESDALE,  WAUCHOPEDALE 

AND   THE 

DEBATEABLE  LAND 


I.  fr0m  the  ^todfth  Csttturg  t*  1530 


BY 


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CRUKILTON   CASTLE 


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A    HISTORY    OF    RACES,    OF    MILITARY    EVENTS 
AND    OF    THE    RISE    OF    COMMERCE 


EDINBURGH:     DAVID     DOUGLAS 


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ARCHAEOLOGICAL    ESSAYS 

BY    THE    LATE 

SIR   JAMES    Y.   SIMPSON,   BART. 


EDITED    BY   THE   LATE 

JOHN     STUART,     LL.D. 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  "SCULPTURED  STONES  OF  SCOTLAND  ' 


ANCIENT  ORATORY  IN  THE  ISLAND  OF  INCHCOLM 


1.  Archaeology. 

2.  Inchcolm. 

3.  TheCatStane. 

4.  The  Magical  Charm-Stones. 

5.  Pyramid  of  Gizeh. 


CONTENTS. 

6.  Leprosy  and  Leper  Hospitals. 

7.  Greek  Medical  Vases. 

8.  Was  the  Roman  Army  provided 

with  Medical  Officers  ? 

9.  Roman  Medicine  Stamps,  etc. ,  etc. 


EDINBURGH:  DAVID  DOUGLAS 


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SOCIAL     LIFE 

IN  FORMER  DAYS 


CHIEFLY  IN  THE  PROVINCE  OF  MORAY 


Illustrated  bji  !C*tter0  ani 


BY  E.  DUNBAR  DUNBAR 


LATE   CAPTAIN    2IST    FUSILIERS 


THUNDERTON    HOUSE. 


EDINBURGH:  DAVID  DOUGLAS 


Andrew  Jervise. 
Epitaphs  and   Inscriptions  from   Burial-Grounds  and  Old 

Buildings  in  the  North-East  of  Scotland.     By  the  late  ANDREW  JERVISE,  F.S.  A. 
Scot.     With  a  Memoir  of  the  Author.     Vol  II.     Cloth,  small  4to,  32s. 
Koxburghe  Edition,  42s. 

The  History  and  Traditions  of  the  Land  of  the  Lindsays  in 

Angus  and  Mearns.    By  the  late  ANDREW  JERVISE,  F.S.  A.  Scot.    New  Edition, 
Edited  and  Revised  by  the  Rev.  JAMES  GAMMACK,  M.A.     Demy  8vo,  14s. 
Large  Paper,  demy  4to,  42s. 

Memorials  of  Angus  and  the  Mearns:  an  Account,  Historical, 

Antiquarian,  and  Traditionary,  of  the  Castles  and  Towns  visited  by  Edward  I., 
and  of  the  Barons,  Clergy,  and  others  who  swore  Fealty  to  England  in  1291-6. 
By  the  late  ANDREW  JERVISE,  F.  S.  A.  Scot.  Rewritten  and  corrected  by  the 
Rev.  JAMES  GAMMACK,  M.A.  Illustrated  with  Etchings  by  W.  HOLE,  R.S.A. 
2  vola.  demy  8vo,  28s.  Large  Paper,  2  vols.  demy  4to,  63s. 

Bishop  Forbes. 

Kalendars  of  Scottish    Saints.     With   Personal  Notices  of 

those  of  Alba,   etc.      By  ALEXANDER  PENROSE  FORBES,   D.C.L.,    Bishop  of 
Brechin.     4to,  price  £3,  3s.     A  few  copies  for  sale  on  large  paper,  £5,  15s.  6d. 
"A  truly  valuable  contribution  to  the  archeology  of  Scotland." — Guardian. 

Thomas  S.  Muir. 
Ecclesiological  Notes  on  some  of  the  Islands  of  Scotland, 

with  other  Papers  relating  to  Ecclesiological  Remains  on  the  Scottish  Mainland 
and  Islands.  By  THOMAS  S.  MUIR,  Author  of  "  Characteristics  of  Church 
Architecture,"  etc.  Demy  8vo,  with  numerous  Illustrations,  21s. 

Sir  Samuel  Ferguson. 
Ogham  Inscriptions  in  Ireland,  Wales,  and  Scotland.      By 

the  late  SIR  SAMUEL  FERGUSON,  President  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  Deputy 
Keeper  of  the  Public  Records  of  Ireland,  LL.D.,  Queen's  Counsel,  etc.  (Being 
the  Rhind  Lectures  in  Archaeology  for  1884.)  1  vol.  demy  Svo,  12s. 

Miss  Maclagan. 
The  Hill  Forts,  Stone  Circles,  and  other  Structural  Remains 

of  Ancient  Scotland.  By  C.  MACLAGAN,  Lady  Associate  of  the  Society  of 
Antiquaries  of  Scotland.  With  Plans  and  Illustrations.  Folio,  31s.  6d. 

"  We  need  not  enlarge  on  the  few  inconsequential  speculations  which  rigid 
archaeologists  may  find  in  the  present  volume.  We  desire  rather  to  commend  it  to 
their  careful  study,  fully  assured  that  not  only  they,  but  also  the  general  reader,  will 
be  edified  by  its  perusal. " — Scotsman. 

Prof.  Baldwin  Brown. 
From  Schola  to  Cathedral.      A  Study  of  Early  Christian 

Architecture  in  its  relation  to  the  life  of  the  Church.  By  G.  BALDWIN  BROWN, 
Professor  of  Fine  Art  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  Demy  Svo,  Illustrated, 
7s.  6d. 

The  book  treats  of  the  beginnings  of  Christian  Architecture,  from  the  point 
of  view  of  recent  discoveries  and  theories,  with  a  special  reference  to  the  out- 
ward resemblance  of  early  Christian  communities  to  other  religious  associations 
of  the  time. 


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